Supporting people who have been through trauma

Trauma can affect people in many ways, shapes and sixes and we all often respond differently. We can be more prone to the impacts of trauma if we have already experienced traumatic events in the past. Due to how individually trauma affects people we aim to work with it in a way that is both safe and affirming. 

Some people who have experienced trauma via a crime may be able to access schemes such as New South Wales Victim Services. This can give a number of sessions toward supporting people who have been the victim of a crime, such as domestic violence, assault or even certain motor vehicle issues. Trauma therapy can also vary widely in length of treatment, ranging from a few sessions for some to potentially periods of extended therapy being needed. We will discuss this with you as we go. 

Trauma therapy should not be rushed, it is a process to just get to know the therapist and feel safe enough to open up. This is also a process that will vary for each person and the impact of trauma can directly affect our capacity to do this. Risks of rushing trauma therapy can include being retraumatised, affecting sleep and even our own relationships and mood due to flashbacks.

Being out in the NSW Central West/Riverina region can present further barriers as there are very few of us around. Many towns have limited workers with experience in trauma. Additionally, for those with neurodivergence or adolescents (and children!) We often need to use other approaches, such as play and working with the parent due to the impacts trauma often has across all areas of life. 

This is the reason we recommend calling to discuss any questions and the length of therapy prior to commencing therapy. A big aspect is to also ensure we are the right service and equipped to help you. It can often be useful to do trauma therapy via telehealth the more remote people are, as there tends to be more access to services in cities such as Sydney or Canberra, however the waitlists and fees will often vary depending on location and service. 

We initially use a Mentalization approach to trauma, an approach originally designed for Borderline Personality Disorder but also used for others, such as Antisocial Personality issues. It is a longer term therapy that focuses on helping a person within themselves and their relationships. The ultimate aim is to help people become less stuck than they were, as many report trauma tends to halt and arrest many things. 

With adolescents we will also bring in skills training, as well as working with those who are neurodivergent and have been through traumatic experiences.