Trauma and PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was introduced into the psychological diagnostic literature only 40 years ago. Since then, there has been growing interest in understanding trauma, its causes, and its treatment. Recently, public interest in trauma has surged, thanks to the works of experts like Bessel Van Der Kolk and Gabor Maté.

For the first time in human history, in elite Western economies, two generations have passed without the wholesale slaughter and disaster that many of our relatives endured, and that many people outside of Western cultures continue to endure, often due to the distortions of colonialism and power abuse. This unprecedented period of relative peace has given us the opportunity to slow down, reflect on ourselves and our ancestors, and recognise that war, violence, abuse, and terror are detrimental to our wellbeing. We have learned that violence does not cure violence.

In the domains of family violence, institutional abuse, cults, sexual identity, and neurodiversity, we have come to understand that the way forward is not to condemn, shame, or criticise, but to accept, honour, normalise, and find ways to heal and improve the society in which we all live. Trauma is a natural response that the brain utilises when it cannot process external and internal stimuli in the moment. The brain disconnects from overwhelming stimuli, not eliminating them, but removing them from immediate awareness, a process once commonly understood as psychological defences.

Trauma allows the brain to disconnect from the time, place, emotion, and detail of something overwhelming. When this disconnection is amplified and the brain struggles to process these attempts to forget, we see the development of PTSD. PTSD is an anxiety disorder characterised by panic and rumination as the brain desperately tries to shut down the retrieval of certain aspects, or all, of a traumatic memory.

Through in-depth conversations, we explore treatment options, considering what has and hasn't worked for you in the past. Our goal is to support your healing journey, helping you find ways to move forward and improve your wellbeing.