Lasting relief from trauma
We can all encounter traumatic experiences in our lives. Sometimes we are able to process the psychological and physical effect of traumatic events naturally and move on with our lives successfully. But as anyone suffering from post-traumatic symptoms will know, this is not always the case.
People can find themselves trapped by what has happened, reliving the memory and the emotions that came with it, unable to move on, sometimes referred to as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD or Complex PTSD. In extreme cases, a traumatic event can shake the foundations of what we understand our world to be about, leaving us out of control and disconnected from our sense of self.
For some people, it can be feelings about themselves that haunt them, believing they should have acted differently in the event in some way, leading to feelings of guilt or regret, amongst others. For others, they may not understand fully what has traumatised them, beyond fragmented flashbacks of memory.
Whatever legacy has been left, trauma therapy makes it possible to heal emotional and psychological wounds, reconnecting us to a sense of safety, balance and wholeness.
Therapy provides support for those struggling with trauma-related conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex PTSD (CPTSD), and childhood trauma, helping individuals process past experiences and regain emotional well-being.
Please book a consultation to discuss your specific needs and possibilities for treatment.
Understanding trauma
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The word trauma comes from the Greek word meaning wound*.
Whilst trauma can and does sometimes result in physical injury, the focus of therapy is in healing the unseen wounds left by trauma, physical or otherwise; wounds that are at their essence, a separation between our thinking mind and our feeling body.
The purpose of therapy is to heal this inner splitting in a way that allows the person to return to living with a sense of wholeness, safety, peace and self-confidence.
*The word therapy comes from the Greek word therapeia meaning healing.
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Trauma takes many forms and one may be traumatising for one person will be different to another, depending largely on the resources available to respond.
In the simplest terms, our system may become traumatised if we experience something that is overwhelmingly threatening and for which we are unable to fight off or escape from.
This applies most if the threat is our physical safety as in the case of a physical assault or accident or our ability to find social connection as in a child who is emotionally neglected, in many cases it will be both given that our need for safety and social connection are interdependent.
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When we encounter the overwhelming conditions that give rise to trauma, our system can become disordered and thrown out of balance.
If for example the trauma caused intense physical / emotional pain, then the system is forced to adapt in a way that reduces our awareness of that pain, a part of us retains the knowledge of the pain, unconsciously whilst another part shifts our focus away from the pain through distraction or numbing behaviours.
Often we will unconsciously seek to resolve the trauma in ways that feel inappropriate and disruptive to life, something known as ‘acting out’.
As mentioned above, this separation or splitting, is the wound of post-traumatic trauma (or stress) disorder.
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When we understand the post-traumatic response to be an intelligent adaptation of our system, (constricted as we may be), we can find compassion and even gratitude for a mindbody that was trying to do its best.
Understandably, the therapy process is not in changing the material facts of the past but rather the unconscious connections we have with that past, the connections that keep the trauma alive in the present, and more importantly, keep us from living life in fullness and flow.
Fundamentally, we work to reset the system by helping it to realise that whatever happened then, is not happening now. Allowing the mindbody to reset a sense of safety and ability for healthy connection.
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The approach to treating and releasing a person from the limiting after-affect of their traumatic experiences is unique in every case, based on the individual and their experiences.
Tom Carter - Private Therapist & Coach
Trauma-informed Integrative Approach
Online or In-Person (Norwich, UK)
Fully Insured & DBS Checked
GHSC Accredited (GQHP)
Frequently asked questions
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A trance is a patterned process that becomes embedded in the mind-body system and operates, at least in part, outside of conscious awareness.
What we are more aware of are the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that arise from the underlying trance state.
Notably, trances are shaped by our experiences—while we retain the learning, we often forget the lesson itself.
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An initial consultation takes 30-minutes at a cost of £40
Following this, a standard 60-minute session costs £85
If at any stage in therapy, a longer 90-minute session is required, such as for EMDR Therapy, the cost for this is £120.
For people under 16yrs of age, 45-minute sessions are offered as an option at a cost of £60.
A 10% discount is available on the above session prices (excluding consultation) for:
State Pension recipients
Blue Light Card holders
NUS Card holders
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Each therapy session is unique, oriented around the client and what they need in that session. My aim always is to provide you with the safety and support to explore your problem in a way that allows for natural and manageable change.
In practical terms, the in-session experience can include a combination of sitting, standing, talking, reflecting, moving, focusing, imagining, body sensing / feeling, visualising, thinking, feeling, meaning-making, observing, relating, remembering, forecasting and more.
The use of a therapeutic trance state (aka hypnosis) can also be part of the process though in most cases is not necessary for the pre-existing ‘problem’ ‘trance to be resolved.
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This depends on many factors, primarily the nature of the problem and the outcome being sought.
It is worth stating that when working therapeutically with subconscious problems, the old adage of ‘less haste more speed’ applies. The more someone tries to force change, the more resistance they typically encounter - and the slower the process takes overall.
My commitment to all those I work with is the same, that we will work as quickly as possible but as slowly as necessary.
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Hypnosis is a state of altered consciousness in which the critical, analytical part of your mind can quieten, allowing you to more easily connect with your subconscious experience.
The term "hypnosis" comes from the Greek word hypnos, meaning "sleep," which can be misleading—being in hypnosis is not the same as being asleep.
Although hypnosis is often experienced with closed eyes to enhance relaxation, much like resting, this does not mean the person is asleep. From an outside perspective, they may appear to be sleeping, but internally, they are in a heightened state of awareness.
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That’s OK, you don’t need to be. If you find yourself doubtful, skeptical or find difficulty with things such as relaxation and meditation, you can view this as a protective resistance, something we welcome and work with as part of the process.
The truth is, some people have a natural ability for entering hypnotic states and others take a little longer to familiarise with the process. My role is to meet you wherever you are and help you achieve change in a way that works for you.
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Therapy is a process of gaining greater awareness and self-control. Whilst entertainment hypnosis gives the impression of people losing control, this is the direct opposite of how it can be used in therapy.
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On the basis that you attend a one-hour weekly therapy session, that leaves an extra ~110 waking hours in which you can be making progress towards your goal. And as you would expect, those people that are prepared to do the work, typically progress further and faster.
That said, out of session work is always optional and by no means obligatory. If you feel you want to do out of session work, let me know and I will make it available to you.