TRAUMA & PTSD

 When we hear the word trauma, we often think of big, dramatic events, car accidents, war zones, major disasters. 

Films and TV often show trauma as something loud, violent, or life-threatening.

But in reality, trauma isn’t defined by the event itself, it’s defined by how your mind and body experience it.

Trauma is anything that overwhelms your ability to cope at the time. That means it can come from situations that don’t look dramatic on the outside, but felt frightening, shaming, unsafe, or emotionally too much to handle.

 Psychologists often refer to:

“Big T” trauma: clear, recognisable events like assault, serious accidents, or natural disasters.
 

“Small t” trauma: less obvious events that can still have a deep impact, like ongoing criticism in childhood, bullying, medical procedures, emotional neglect, or being made to feel invisible or unsafe.
 

Both types can lead to symptoms like flashbacks, anxiety, panic, hypervigilance, or emotional numbing.

According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), trauma responses can come from “any distressing event or series of events” that a person experiences as threatening, overwhelming, or emotionally harmful, not just single, life-threatening incidents.
 

Bessel van der Kolk, a leading trauma expert and author of The Body Keeps the Score, explains that trauma

 “is not the story of something that happened back then, it’s the current imprint of that pain, horror, and fear living inside people.”
 

For some clients, I use the Rewind Technique, a powerful and gentle way to help the brain process traumatic memories without needing to relive or retell them in detail. I’ve undergone specialist training in this technique so I can offer it safely and confidently as part of my trauma-informed work.

The Rewind Technique was developed by Dr David Muss, a medical doctor and psychotherapist, and has been used for decades to help people with PTSD, phobias, and anxiety linked to trauma. It works by guiding you into a deeply relaxed state, then using visual imagery to “rewind” the memory, helping the brain reprocess it in a way that reduces its emotional intensity.

You're in control at all times, and you don’t need to talk through the details of what happened. For many people, this makes it a much more accessible way to process painful memories.

Alongside this, I offer space to talk at your own pace. Whether you’ve been through something major or are carrying something that others might not even recognise as trauma, it’s valid — and we can explore it gently, together.

My aim is always to walk alongside you, help you make sense of what’s holding you back, and support you as you begin to feel more grounded, safe, and in control of your life.