As a therapist, I have been interested in trauma for many years. Many of my clients come with the aim of healing early wounds and to go beyond the negative effects that their experiences have had on their feelings, beliefs, behaviour and relationships.
Their decision to get free of the past, deal with the present and create a new future for themselves and their children is inspiring. And for those who do the work, change is possible and fulfilling.
Recently, I have been writing to my clients after sessions to summarise our conversations, help put those emotional memories into some kind of order and to offer some understanding of what they are dealing with. They tell me this is helpful so I am sharing some of my notes in the hope that they might be useful to others as well.
If there is anything here that echoes with your own experience, I hope it will help you recognise that you are not mad or bad or alone, but that your difficulties stem from early childhood or later traumatic experiences. You may be dealing with all this successfully yourself, but that can be hard, and it may be easier to achieve some change with professional help.
Counselling may be available on the NHS, but low-level CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is generally insufficient to get to the roots of trauma. If you decide to consult someone privately you should check that they are a member of a recognised professional body and have trauma certification and experience in this area. At your first meeting, decide whether you would feel comfortable working with that person and ask any questions you may have, before committing yourself to therapy.
Many therapists work both online or in person, as I do, so you can choose which option is more convenient or feels better for you. If you're interested in learning more, a list of helpful resources and links are available at the base of this article. You can also explore services available in your area.
