My Approach
It's not the story - it's the imprint it left behind.
Many distinguished trauma therapists recognise that talking therapy alone isn't always enough to treat trauma. It's not just about understanding what happened to you - it's about changing what that experience left behind in your brain and body.
When we experience something overwhelming, the brain stores it in a way that keeps it active. The past doesn't stay in the past. It can show up as anxiety, hypervigilance, angry outbursts, emotional numbness, or that constant feeling that something bad is about to happen.
Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness.
Peter A. Levine, developer of Somatic Experiencing
Trauma is not just a single isolated event. It can be the accumulation of smaller wounds - inconsistent care, childhood neglect, having to take care of a parent or caregiver as a child, walking on eggshells in a relationship, or always being the one who adjusted to keep others safe or stay connected to your caregiver. Often these smaller, repeated experiences can leave deeper marks than the obvious larger traumas.
These experiences can leave an imprint on the nervous system. When overwhelming or chronic stress persists over time, the body and brain can become stuck in survival mode, keeping the alarm system turned on long after the original experiences have passed.
What this means in practice
My approach is mind-and-body-based. Whilst EMDR is central, I also use complementary methods - such as somatic techniques, mindfulness, Brainspotting, EFT, and parts work - to support deeper healing tailored to what's right for you.
These approaches aim to create corrective experiences - helping your nervous system to return to regulation, fostering healthier emotional responses, and replacing negative core beliefs with more truthful ones. The goal is not just understanding your pain - it's about learning to release it and move forward.
Methods I use
EMDR Therapy
A structured, evidence-based approach that helps your brain reprocess stuck memories and reduce their emotional impact. Recommended by the NHS and the WHO.
Brainspotting
A gentle, focused approach that uses your field of vision to access and release trauma stored in the body and brain.
Parts Work & IFS
Helps to better understand and relate to different parts of yourself, such as the wounded child or inner critic - so you can heal old wounds, reduce internal conflict and respond to life with greater compassion and clarity.
Attachment-Informed Therapy
Understanding how your early relationships shaped your patterns and discovering ways to create more secure, supportive connections in your life.
EFT & Somatic Work
Body-based approaches that combine Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), mindfulness and compassion-focused practices to help release tension and regulate emotions.
Couples Therapy
Trauma-informed, Relate-trained work that uncovers what's really driving conflict in your relationship.
Owning our story can be hard, but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it.
Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection
Areas of work
What brings people to therapy
- Trauma & PTSD Support in processing past traumatic events and reducing their impact on daily life.
- Complex Trauma Working with prolonged or repeated trauma that affects relationships, emotions, and self-perception.
- Anxiety & Panic Attacks Learning to manage worry, fear, and sudden episodes of panic.
- Depression & Low Mood Finding ways to feel more connected, motivated, and hopeful.
- Relationship Difficulties Improving communication, understanding attachment patterns, and resolving conflict.
- Bereavement & Loss Coping with the death of a loved one, including miscarriage, infant loss, or other significant losses.
- Childhood Experiences Exploring how early experiences shape your beliefs, emotions, and relationships today.
- Addictions Support for reducing or managing addictive behaviours and understanding underlying causes.
- Sleep & Nightmares Helping address insomnia, nightmares, or sleep disruptions linked to stress or trauma.
- Flashbacks Working with intrusive memories to regain safety and control in daily life.
- Low Self-Esteem Building a more compassionate and confident relationship with yourself.
- Trust & Betrayal Processing breaches of trust and learning to rebuild healthy connections.
- Affairs & Infidelity Supporting individuals and couples through betrayal, grief, and relationship repair.
- Sexual Difficulties Exploring sexual challenges and intimacy issues with understanding and sensitivity.
- Anger & Overwhelm Learning to manage strong emotions and reduce feelings of being stuck.
- Phobias & Fears Overcoming specific fears that interfere with life and wellbeing.
- People-Pleasing Understanding why you over-prioritise others and finding balance.
- Imposter Syndrome Challenging self-doubt and building confidence in your achievements.
- Self-Sabotage Identifying patterns that hold you back and creating healthier ways forward.
- Procrastination Exploring underlying causes and developing strategies to take action.
- Inner Critic Soothing critical self-talk and strengthening self-compassion.
- Life Transitions Support through major changes, such as career, relocation, or personal milestones.
- Isolation & Loneliness Addressing feelings of disconnection and building meaningful connections.
- Accidents & Injury Processing trauma and emotional impact from accidents or physical injuries.
- Grief About Life Changes Not just bereavement, but transitions like divorce, retirement, or relocation.
- Miscarriage & Loss of Baby Support for navigating the emotional, physical, and relational impact of miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss.
- Chronic Stress & Burnout Coping with work or life stress, exhaustion, and overwhelm.
- Medical & Health-Related Anxiety Concerns about illness, surgery, or chronic conditions.
- Career & Work Issues Job stress, career transitions, or imposter feelings at work.
- Identity & Self-Discovery Exploring personal values, sexuality, gender identity, or life purpose.
- Performance Anxiety / Public Speaking Specific situational fears or pressures.
- Body Image & Eating Concerns Struggles with self-image, diet, or disordered eating patterns.
- Persistent Pain & Complex Trauma Sometimes trauma isn't just emotional - it's stored in the body. Long-term stress, unresolved experiences, or complex trauma can show up as chronic pain, tension, or physical symptoms. Therapy can help address these connections and support both body and mind.
Common Questions
Things people ask before starting
I'm not sure if what I'm dealing with is 'bad enough' for therapy.
There's no threshold you need to meet.
Trauma doesn't have to be a single dramatic event - it can be the accumulation of smaller experiences, such as inconsistent care in childhood, a relationship where you never felt safe, always being the one who has to adapt to others.
If something is affecting your daily life, your relationships, or how you feel about yourself, that's enough.
What is EMDR and what does it actually feel like?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. During a session, I'll guide you to focus on a difficult memory while following a visual or sensory cue. This helps your brain reprocess the memory so it loses its emotional charge.
You don't forget what happened - but it stops controlling how you feel today. Most people describe it as tiring but relieving, like something heavy has been shifted. You remain fully conscious and in control throughout.
Will I have to talk about everything that happened to me?
No. One of the strengths of EMDR is that you don't need to describe traumatic events in detail. The therapy works with the memory at a level your brain can process, without requiring you to relive or narrate the full experience. You share only what feels right.
I've had therapy before and it didn't help. Why would this be different?
Talking therapy helps you understand your problems, but it doesn't always change how your body and brain respond to them. EMDR works differently - it targets the root of the distress, not just the story around it. Many of my clients have tried other approaches first and found that EMDR was the thing that finally brings a shift.
How do I know if I am suffering from trauma?
Some signs might include:
- Your life lacks sufficient pleasure, joy or connection
- You don't trust your gut or your own feelings
- You feel unsafe in your own body
- You feel like you don't belong
- You've become expert at pushing down your feelings to numb the effect, yet triggers still arise - by something you hear, see, smell, or a fleeting thought
- You may withdraw, drink more, or engage in other behaviours that dampen your nervous system
The challenge is that when we dampen the pain, we often dampen the joy as well.
Free 15-minute call
Ready to take the first step?
You don't need to have it all figured out. Send me an email or arrange a free 15-minute introductory call. No pressure, no commitment - just a chance to see if we're a good fit.