Trauma & PTSD Counselling
Trauma-informed counselling for adolescents and adults affected by difficult, overwhelming or distressing experiences
Trauma & PTSD Counselling in Melbourne
Experiences of trauma can affect people in many different ways. You may find yourself experiencing distressing memories, anxiety, heightened alertness, emotional numbness, difficulties in relationships, changes in how you see yourself, or reactions that can be difficult to understand or control.
I provide trauma-informed counselling and psychotherapy for adolescents and adults, with face-to-face appointments available in Moonee Ponds and telehealth appointments Australia-wide. Therapy is tailored to your individual experiences, needs and goals.
Understanding Trauma & PTSD
Trauma can result from experiences that feel overwhelming, threatening or deeply distressing. For some people, this may involve a single event, while for others it may involve repeated or ongoing experiences over time.
The effects of trauma can continue long after an experience has ended. You might notice distressing memories, nightmares, anxiety, emotional numbness, heightened alertness, avoidance, difficulties trusting others, changes in relationships, or strong emotional and physical reactions to reminders of what happened.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one way that people can respond following trauma, but you do not need to have a diagnosis of PTSD to seek support. Trauma can affect people differently, and therapy should take your individual experiences and circumstances into account.
Trauma-informed counselling provides a space to understand these responses, develop ways of managing distress and, when appropriate, work with experiences that continue to affect you in the present.
What Can Trauma Counselling Help With?
People seek trauma counselling for many different reasons. You may be experiencing the effects of a recent event, something that happened earlier in life, or a series of experiences that have accumulated over time.
Trauma counselling may support people experiencing:
Trauma and PTSD
Childhood trauma and adverse experiences
Distressing or intrusive memories
Nightmares or sleep difficulties related to trauma
Hypervigilance or feeling constantly “on guard”
Avoidance of reminders of difficult experiences
Anxiety, fear or panic
Emotional numbness or feeling disconnected
Shame, guilt or negative beliefs about yourself
Difficulties with trust, relationships or intimacy
Strong emotional reactions or difficulties regulating emotions
Grief, loss or significant life experiences
You don't need to identify with all of these experiences or have a formal diagnosis of PTSD to seek support. We can focus on the difficulties that are affecting you and what you would like to change.
Trauma Counselling in Moonee Ponds & via Telehealth
I offer trauma-informed counselling and psychotherapy face-to-face from my consulting room in Moonee Ponds, Melbourne, as well as via telehealth for clients across Australia.
Some people prefer the structure and separation of attending therapy in person, while others find telehealth more accessible or comfortable. We can work in the format that is appropriate for your circumstances and preferences.
Both face-to-face and telehealth sessions are approached with the same focus on collaboration, safety and working at a pace that is appropriate for you.
How I Work With Trauma
Trauma therapy should be tailored to the individual rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach. I work collaboratively with you to understand what you are experiencing, what feels most important to address and what you would like to achieve through therapy.
Depending on your needs, therapy may initially focus on understanding trauma responses, developing emotional regulation skills, strengthening coping strategies and building a sense of safety and stability before working more directly with distressing experiences.
My approach is integrative and may draw on therapies including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR).
We work at a pace that takes your individual circumstances and readiness into account. You do not need to disclose or process everything that has happened in order to begin therapy.
Looking for face-to-face counselling in Moonee Ponds?
Fees, Medicare & Funding
Medicare rebates are available for eligible clients with a Mental Health Treatment Plan. You can also attend trauma counselling as a private-paying client without a referral.
Other funding arrangements may be available, including NDIS, DVA, WorkSafe, TAC and Victims Services, depending on your eligibility and circumstances.
For current session fees, Medicare rebate information and other funding options, please see my Fees & Medicare page.
Ready to Get Started?
If you're considering counselling for trauma or PTSD, we can begin by talking about what has brought you to therapy, what you're experiencing and what you would like support with.
You don't need to know which type of therapy you need before making an appointment. We can discuss the available options together and develop an approach based on your individual needs and goals.
Face-to-face appointments are available in Moonee Ponds, with telehealth appointments available Australia-wide.