Trauma Therapy
Trauma can leave you feeling isolated and alone with it all. Therapy breaks isolation.
There are many, many psychotherapies out there - over 500 for mental health! Traditional normal talking therapies (just talking about it) have been found not to be that effective in treating trauma, adaptations and trauma memories. This is because the more you talk about the trauma the further you can embed it into your mind/brain. It can become like a wheel that's 'stuck in mud', the more it spins in the same direction, the more it goes over the same ground, and the deeper into the mud it goes. Something different is required to help trauma..
Another analogy: if you had a physical trauma like say wound to a leg, then talking about it won't do that much to resolve, some form of treatment needs to be done to the leg. Because trauma even psychological trauma resides in the body then we need to work at this level also to heal.
The trauma therapies that I use are under the umbrella term 'psychotherapy & neurotherapies' - these work with the neurological wiring of the brain and nervous system. The therapies work by helping the Brain, Body & Mind to work together as one to heal itself. As a therapist I assist a person to become their own therapist, and I be that therapist until they are ready.
Trauma therapies I'm trained and qualified in:
So which is best for you?
I really don't know without seeing you for a session. Most people I see make use of a unique blend of these therapies. I'm trained and qualified in all the above psychotherapies though, so we will tailor a unique approach around your needs. What I learned from being trained in many psychotherapeutic approaches is 'the more training the better' - one approach is limiting.
There is also a website for my Online Trauma Therapy practice
Another analogy: if you had a physical trauma like say wound to a leg, then talking about it won't do that much to resolve, some form of treatment needs to be done to the leg. Because trauma even psychological trauma resides in the body then we need to work at this level also to heal.
The trauma therapies that I use are under the umbrella term 'psychotherapy & neurotherapies' - these work with the neurological wiring of the brain and nervous system. The therapies work by helping the Brain, Body & Mind to work together as one to heal itself. As a therapist I assist a person to become their own therapist, and I be that therapist until they are ready.
Trauma therapies I'm trained and qualified in:
- BSP - Brainspotting - This approach was developed by Dr. David Grand one of the original therapists to working with EMDR therapy in 1980's. Dr. Grand discovered that there were correlations in a person's 'eye positions' and physical or 'somatic' sensations. When a traumatic incident occurs it it leaves a imprint on your brain. Dr. Grand called these trauma imprints - 'Brainspots' . Dr. Grand used his expert knowledge in neuroscience & psychotherapy to develop a powerful therapy that can process and release these 'Brainspots' - Initially he called it 'Free Flow EMDR' as his method was born out of EMDR. Dr. Grand developed his own approach which he called Brainspotting. He used his expert knowledge in neuroscience to develop the the theory. Brainspotting is a therapy that is now used globally - it has caused a lot of excitement amongst therapists, as many therapists find it compliments and integrates well with their original way of working. Brainspotting basically helps process trauma at a somatic and cognitive level without the need to talk about the trauma. Brainspotting can also work with many physical problems, that talking therapy alone would not be of benefit to. There are over 13,000 therapists that are using Brainspotting, and many more clients that have benefitted from this approach.
- AEDP - Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy - A heavily somatic therapy that integrates parts work, memory reconsolidation and talk therapy
- EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing - This approach was developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro and was the first of its' kind. She really stumbled upon the phenomenon in 1987, and then developed a therapy around it. She discovered that bilateral eye movements could help us feel differently. EMDR was well researched for the treatment of PTSD, clinical trial were conducted, and it quickly became the treatment of choice for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. EMDR is more than eye movements alone. There are 8 phases to EMDR, so even though it is believed to be a quick therapy - it sometimes is no shorter than any other therapy. If someone came to me with a simple car crash trauma, I think that it could be processed pretty quickly using this approach.
- EMI - Eye Movement Integration - This approach was developed about the same time as EMDR in 1989 by Connirae and Steve Andreas. Dr. Danie Beaulieu, really took this approach to therapy forwards. Although, it is probably not as well known as EMDR, it is just as effective. EMI like EMDR, also makes use of eye movements, but EMI employs 24 different ones! The 24 different eye movements are said to connect more areas of the brain to help process trauma than EMDR. I have used this approach a lot and have found it to be more effective to the treatment of trauma for people that have tried EMDR in the past. It is best thought of as a EMDR hybrid. I have helped people get past traumas such as road traffic incidents in two sessions of EMI.
- IFS - Internal Family Systems - IFS was developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz in the 1980's. He theorised that we are all made up of 'Parts' just like a system or computer. Each part has it's role, and all parts have our best intentions, to help us live. Sometimes 'parts' may conflict, or cause other parts distress. For example we sometimes feel torn in two, three or many other ways. You may want to do one thing, and also want to do another.. This would be two parts - two parts that hold different beliefs. Dr Richards Schwartz postulated that many Parts are protecting something.. For example you may have a part that binges on something as a way of protecting you from feeling upset or alone. In IFS Therapy the therapist will guide you to be your own therapist to your Parts, which will give you a feeling of more of what Schwarz called Self Energy - a positive state of being - the phenomenon of not being consumed by anything - a feeling of confidence and peace.
- Sensorimotor Psychotherapy - is a type of talking therapy which involves more than talking alone. Originally it was developed around attachment & trauma recovery. Unlike traditional talking therapy, SP can be very ‘proactive’ and interactive. The therapists’ role is a very curious one and helps you as the client use your body as a crucial aid, and resource to the therapeutic work. The body is a vast place where we can get rich information, work at depth, and really bring therapy to life. It’s like the difference between reading a book on ‘how to drive’ and actually learning how to drive.
So which is best for you?
I really don't know without seeing you for a session. Most people I see make use of a unique blend of these therapies. I'm trained and qualified in all the above psychotherapies though, so we will tailor a unique approach around your needs. What I learned from being trained in many psychotherapeutic approaches is 'the more training the better' - one approach is limiting.
There is also a website for my Online Trauma Therapy practice
