Trauma Therapy
Evidence-based psychological support for the impact of trauma and distressing experiences.
Trauma can affect how we think, feel, relate to others and experience safety in everyday life. Sometimes the effects are immediately apparent; at other times, difficulties can emerge or become more noticeable long after an experience has passed.
You may find yourself feeling constantly on edge, avoiding reminders of what happened, experiencing intrusive memories, or feeling emotionally numb or disconnected. Trauma can also affect relationships, confidence, sleep and the way you understand yourself.
Psychological therapy provides a safe and collaborative space to understand these responses and work towards recovery at a pace that feels manageable for you.
Evidence-based psychological support for the impact of trauma and distressing experiences.
Trauma does not always look like flashbacks or vivid memories of what happened.
You can continue working, maintaining relationships and managing everyday responsibilities while still feeling that something from the past is affecting you in the present.
You may feel constantly on edge, avoid certain situations or memories, find it difficult to trust or feel safe, or notice that seemingly small things trigger much stronger emotional or physical reactions than you expect.
For some people, the impact is more difficult to recognise. You might feel emotionally numb or disconnected, struggle with relationships, experience anxiety or find yourself responding to situations without fully understanding why.
I am Dr Aaron Shaw, Chartered Clinical Psychologist, and I offer evidence-informed psychological therapy for adults experiencing the ongoing effects of trauma and distressing or overwhelming experiences.
Therapy can help us understand how your experiences may be affecting you now, what may be keeping those difficulties going and how you can begin developing a greater sense of safety, understanding and control.
What Is Trauma?
Trauma can develop following experiences that feel overwhelming, frightening or difficult to process. This might relate to a single event or experiences occurring repeatedly over time.
Our minds and bodies naturally respond to threat in ways designed to protect us. Following trauma, however, these responses can sometimes continue even when the original danger has passed.
This can leave people feeling as though their mind or body remains on alert, or that aspects of the experience continue to affect their present life.
Trauma Can Affect People in Different Ways
There is no single way that someone responds to trauma. Two people can experience similar events and be affected very differently.
For some people, trauma is associated with a single frightening or overwhelming experience. For others, difficulties develop following repeated experiences over time, difficult relationships, loss, illness, accidents, abuse, or other situations in which they felt unsafe, powerless or overwhelmed.
Sometimes the connection between past experiences and current difficulties is clear. At other times, people notice anxiety, emotional numbness, relationship difficulties, strong emotional reactions or a persistent sense of being on edge without immediately recognising how earlier experiences may be contributing.
What matters in therapy is not whether your experiences fit a particular idea of what trauma "should" look like, but how those experiences are affecting you now.
How Can Trauma Present?
Everyone responds differently, but trauma-related difficulties can include:
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Intrusive memories or flashbacks
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Feeling constantly alert or on edge
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Avoiding people, places, situations or memories
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Emotional numbness or disconnection
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Difficulty trusting or feeling safe with others
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Sleep difficulties or nightmares
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Strong emotional or physical reactions to reminders
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Feelings of shame, guilt or self-blame
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Difficulty concentrating
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Changes in relationships or intimacy
You do not need to have a diagnosis of PTSD to seek psychological support for experiences that continue to affect you.
Trauma, the Mind and the Body
Following a threatening or overwhelming experience, the brain and body can become particularly sensitive to signs of danger.
Situations, sensations, thoughts or memories that resemble aspects of the original experience may trigger a strong emotional or physical response, even when you know that you are currently safe.
This can help explain why trauma may involve physical tension, a racing heart, feeling constantly alert, difficulty sleeping, shutting down emotionally or wanting to escape particular situations.
Understanding these responses can be an important part of therapy. Rather than viewing them as personal weaknesses, we can begin to understand why they developed and whether they are still helping or protecting you now.
How Can Trauma Therapy Help?
Trauma therapy is not simply about repeatedly talking through what happened.
Initially, therapy may focus on developing a shared understanding of your experiences, recognising trauma responses and establishing strategies that help you feel safer and more emotionally regulated.
Depending on your individual needs, we may work together to:
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Understand how past experiences are affecting you now
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Recognise triggers and trauma responses
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Develop grounding and emotional regulation strategies
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Reduce avoidance where it is maintaining difficulties
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Explore difficult beliefs about yourself or what happened
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Process traumatic experiences when appropriate
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Rebuild confidence, trust and a greater sense of safety
The pace of therapy is tailored to you. Difficult experiences do not need to be explored before you feel ready.
Will I Have to Talk About Everything That Happened?
A common concern about trauma therapy is that you will immediately be expected to describe distressing experiences in detail.
That is not how I approach trauma work.
Therapy begins by developing a shared understanding of what you are experiencing and what you would like to change. Depending on your needs, we may initially focus on understanding trauma responses, managing difficult emotions, developing grounding strategies and increasing your sense of safety and control.
If directly processing traumatic memories becomes appropriate, this should happen collaboratively and at a pace that takes account of your needs and readiness.
You remain an active participant in decisions about what we work on throughout therapy.
My Approach to Trauma Therapy
As a Clinical Psychologist, I take an individualised and trauma-informed approach rather than assuming that one therapy will be appropriate for everyone.
I draw upon evidence-based psychological approaches according to your experiences, needs and therapeutic goals. This may include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), compassion-focused approaches, grounding and stabilisation work, and other trauma-informed psychological interventions.
Together, we will develop a shared understanding of what you have experienced, what may be maintaining your current difficulties and what might help you move forward.
Do I Need to Have PTSD to Seek Trauma Therapy?
No. You do not need a diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to seek psychological support.
Some people meet the criteria for PTSD, while others experience trauma-related difficulties that do not fit neatly within a particular diagnosis.
Past experiences can still influence anxiety, relationships, confidence, emotional regulation and the way you respond to situations in the present.
An initial consultation allows us to understand your individual experiences rather than starting with the assumption that you have, or need, a particular diagnosis.
Trauma Therapy Near You
I provide trauma therapy for adults across:
Online trauma therapy is also available across the UK, providing greater flexibility around work, family life and other commitments.
Flexible Appointment Availability
Face-to-face appointments are available on weekday evenings in Bristol and on Saturdays in Cheltenham. Online appointments are also available across the UK.
Please get in touch to discuss current availability.
Taking the Next Step
You do not need to know exactly what type of therapy you need before getting in touch.
If previous experiences continue to affect your wellbeing, relationships or everyday life, an initial consultation can help us understand what you are experiencing and consider whether psychological therapy may be helpful.
If you are looking for trauma therapy, you can view support options in your area or get in touch to arrange an initial consultation.