Trauma Counselling

People are often nervous about trauma counselling as they worry they will have to talk about their most difficult memories to a stranger right off the bat. You do not need to tell us about what happened if you do not feel comfortable to do so. Instead of talking about what happened, we can focus on how what happened may still impact your life today. We can work on changing the automatic and irrational thoughts and behaviours that you have learned during your traumatic experience that you would like to unlearn. Together, we can process and regulate the emotions that come up in your day to day life. During our time together, you can also learn to live mindfully as opposed to living in constant autopilot and/or hyper vigilance. Finally, you can learn how to connect with and relax your body using somatic interventions.

Having said that eventually sharing what happened with your counsellor can help reduce the shame trauma may have brought to your life. When (and if) you choose to share your story, the timing and the process of such sharing need to be just right in order for it to be therapeutic and not overwhelming. This is why we follow Judith Herman’s three stages model for trauma counselling.

Three Stages of Trauma Counselling

In this model, we start by working on the here and now. The processing of traumatic events does not start until the second stage. Even during the second stage, processing does not need to include talk therapy if that makes you feel uncomfortable. Processing can occur without you having to talk about your difficult past in details. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and Somatic Experiencing are some of the strategies we can use in the second stage of counselling.

Even when processing includes talking about what happened, our work will be done in smaller and manageable pieces. And, the skills learned in the first stage will assist us in better managing the stress of processing the past.

What may Trauma Counselling Look Like?

First Stage

  • Increase self-awareness, 

  • Challenge the thought patterns and behaviours that no longer serve you, 

  • Learn grounding, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques,

  • Learn to focus on the here and now by practicing mindfulness,

Explore your goals, strengths and preferences

Second Stage:

  • Process small chunks of traumatic memories while regulating your emotions and staying in the room and in the present time

EMDR

In the second stage, one of the ways we could process trauma is through Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). I am trained in EMDR, which is a widely researched and evidence-based treatment model that helps people heal from painful symptoms and distress arising from past trauma. EMDR has been endorsed by reputable organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO) and American Psychiatric Association as an effective treatment for healing trauma. I also like using EMDR as it can produce inspiring changes without the person having to share the traumatic memories in detail with their counsellor.

For more information, please visit EMDRIA.

Third Stage:

  • Celebrate your progress

  • Visualize a new future

  • Explore self beyond trauma

    (Who do you want to be as you move forward?)