top of page

Home  >> Problems  >>

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

After a traumatic or overwhelming experience, it’s natural for the mind and body to react. For some people, these reactions settle over time. For others, the effects can persist, leading to what is often referred to as post-traumatic stress.

 

Trauma can relate to a single event or a series of experiences, such as:

  • Accidents or injuries

  • Assault or abuse (including sexual trauma)

  • Medical trauma

  • Loss, violence, or war

  • Ongoing stress or adversity

 

These experiences can overwhelm the nervous system, making it difficult to process what has happened.

Common responses to trauma

People may experience a range of symptoms, including:

 

Re-experiencing

  • Intrusive memories or images

  • Nightmares

  • Flashbacks (feeling as though the event is happening again)

 

Hyperarousal (feeling “on edge”)

  • Heightened alertness or startle response

  • Difficulty relaxing or sleeping

  • Irritability or feeling constantly on guard

 

Avoidance

  • Avoiding reminders of the event (places, people, conversations)

  • Trying not to think or talk about what happened

 

Changes in mood and thinking

  • Feeling numb, detached, or disconnected

  • Guilt, shame, or self-blame

  • Difficulty experiencing positive emotions

 

These responses are not signs of weakness — they are the mind and body’s attempt to protect you after something overwhelming.

How common are trauma-related difficulties?

  • Most people will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime

  • Around 1 in 3 people may develop longer-lasting trauma-related symptoms

  • Approximately 4–5% of people experience ongoing post-traumatic stress at any given time

  • Symptoms can begin soon after an event or emerge months or even years later

 

(Recent research and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, 2022–2024)

What treatment can we offer?

  • Trauma-focused therapies are effective and recommended. The aim is not to erase memories, but to help the brain process them so they feel less intrusive and overwhelming.

Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT)

  • Recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, this approach helps to:

  • Process and make sense of the traumatic experience

  • Reduce the intensity of distress linked to memories

  • Address unhelpful beliefs (e.g. guilt, blame, or ongoing threat)

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

  • EMDR supports:

  • Processing traumatic memories using bilateral stimulation (e.g. eye movements)

  • Reducing the emotional intensity of memories

  • Allowing experiences to be stored in a more manageable way

  •  

  • Both CBT ad EMDR involve stabilisation and grounding work. Before and alongside trauma processing, you will learn:

  • Techniques to manage anxiety and emotional overwhelm

  • Grounding strategies to feel more present and safe

  • Building a sense of stability and control

  •  

  • You will also receive help with:

  • Shame, self-blame, or harsh self-criticism

  • Rebuilding a sense of safety and self-trust

  • Supporting emotional recovery alongside symptom reduction

A compassionate note

Trauma can leave a lasting imprint, but it does not define you. The reactions you may be experiencing are understandable responses to overwhelming events. With the right support, it is possible to process what has happened, feel safer in your body again, and move forward with greater ease and stability.

Further guidance and support

bottom of page