Valued Living
What is trauma?
Trauma can take many forms, and experiencing a traumatic event doesn’t always lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Whether PTSD develops depends on various factors, including how the event was perceived at the time.
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Single-Event Trauma, the most common form of PTSD, is caused by a specific incident (e.g., a car crash or assault) and can result in symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares, heightened alertness, and avoidance of reminders.
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Complex Trauma (or Complex-PTSD) is caused by repeated abuse or prolonged distress, such as in domestic violence or captivity. In addition to PTSD symptoms, it can lead to feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, mistrust of others, difficulty forming close relationships, and suicidal thoughts.
What support is available?
The recommended treatments for PTSD include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET).
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Before starting these therapies, it can be helpful to focus on stabilisation, which involves learning emotional regulation and grounding techniques to reduce trauma's impact on daily life. This helps create stability and a "safe zone" as you process difficult memories.
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Trauma can cause us to retreat inwardly, leading to the loss of parts of ourselves. Recovery involves reclaiming your life and gradually reintroducing meaningful activities that restore purpose and connection.
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Some may resort to risky behaviours, like self-harm or substance misuse, as a way to cope with trauma. While they may offer temporary relief, these are not long-term solutions. We can help you develop safer coping strategies and plan for difficult moments, including suicidal thoughts.