What we help with
Signs of trauma and PTSD
How to recognise what you may be living with.
Trauma is what happens inside us when an experience overwhelms our capacity to cope. PTSD is one of the ways that can settle in afterwards, leaving the past feeling ever-present through flashbacks, hypervigilance, avoidance, and a body that stays braced for danger. This page is here to help you recognise it — and if it sounds like what you are living with, our trauma therapy page explains how we work with it.
What it can look like
- Flashbacks, intrusive memories, or nightmares
- Feeling constantly on guard or easily startled
- Avoiding reminders of what happened
- Emotional numbness or disconnection
- Difficulty trusting, or feeling unsafe in your body
How therapy helps
Recognising it is enough to begin. You do not need a diagnosis, and you do not need to have decided what to call it. Every clinician here is trauma-informed, with additional training in trauma, and we will help you find the therapist and the approach that fit.
Approaches we may draw on
Matched thoughtfully to you.
Good to know
Trauma & PTSD, in brief.
How do I know if it is PTSD, or just stress?
Stress tends to ease once the pressure lifts. PTSD keeps the past active in the present — intrusive memories, nightmares, feeling constantly on guard, avoiding reminders, or feeling numb and cut off, weeks or months after the event. Only an assessment can tell you for certain, but if those signs are shaping your daily life, it is worth talking to someone.
Do I need a diagnosis to start therapy?
No. You do not need a diagnosis, a referral, or the right words for what happened. Many people start with the effects they are noticing — sleep, anger, anxiety, distance from people they love — and we make sense of it together.
Is EMDR effective for PTSD?
Yes — EMDR is one of the most well-researched and effective treatments for PTSD, and it is recommended by major health bodies. Several of our therapists are trained in it; you can read more on our EMDR page.