Counseling for trauma at Feeling To Healing is specialist talking therapy that helps you process frightening or painful experiences, so that they stop controlling your present. Our psychologists offer evidence-based trauma therapy, including EMDR and trauma-focused CBT, at our East London clinic and by secure video anywhere in the UK. There is no waiting list and no GP referral, and every new client starts with a free 20-minute consultation.

Clinically reviewed by Dr Carlo Demarco, PhD, Consultant Psychologist. Last updated October 2026.

After something overwhelming happens, it is normal to feel shaken for a while. For many people the feelings slowly settle. For others they do not: the memories keep breaking through, sleep goes, and the world starts to feel unsafe. If that sounds familiar, you are not weak and you are not broken. Your mind and body are still trying to protect you from something that is already over, and the right help can teach them that you are safe now.

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What Is Counseling for Trauma?

Trauma is the lasting effect of an event, or a series of events, that felt threatening, overwhelming or out of your control. It is not defined by what happened, but by how it affected you. Two people can go through the same accident and react in completely different ways.

Counseling for trauma (in the UK it is often spelt trauma counselling) gives you a safe, structured space to understand those reactions and gently work through what happened. The aim is not to forget. It is to reach a point where the memory feels like something that happened in the past, rather than something that is still happening now.

Some people have a single traumatic event, such as a car crash or an assault. Others live through repeated or long-lasting trauma, such as childhood abuse, domestic abuse or war. Repeated trauma can lead to complex PTSD, which also affects how you feel about yourself and other people. Both can be treated.

Common Signs of Trauma and PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is diagnosed when certain symptoms last for more than a month and get in the way of everyday life. You do not need a diagnosis to get help, though. These are the four main groups of signs:

Trauma can also show up in the body: headaches, stomach problems, tight muscles, tiredness, or a racing heart for no obvious reason. Some people turn to alcohol, food or work to cope. The NHS guide to PTSD and Mind’s guide to PTSD and complex PTSD describe the symptoms in more detail.

What Can Cause Trauma?

Almost any experience that felt overwhelming can leave its mark. Common causes include:

• Road accidents, falls and serious injuries
• Physical or sexual assault, robbery or violence
• Childhood abuse, neglect or growing up in an unsafe home
• Domestic abuse and controlling relationships
• A frightening birth, miscarriage or medical emergency (see our support for new mothers)
• Sudden or violent bereavement (see grief counselling)
• War, displacement or becoming a refugee
• Bullying, discrimination or harassment
• Work-related trauma, for example in the emergency services, healthcare or the armed forces

You may also be affected by something that happened to someone close to you, or by repeatedly hearing about distressing events at work. None of this is your fault.

Why Trauma Can Feel Like Too Much, or Too Little

Therapists often describe a “window of tolerance”: the zone where you can feel your feelings and still think clearly. Trauma tends to narrow that window. A small trigger can push you up into panic and anger, or down into numbness and shutting off.

Understanding this is often the first relief in therapy. Your reactions are not random or “over the top”. They are your nervous system doing its job too well. Good trauma therapy first helps you widen your window with practical skills, and only then helps you work through the memories, at a pace that stays inside it.

Trauma Therapy and PTSD Treatment That Works

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline on post-traumatic stress disorder (NG116) recommends talking therapies as the first choice of PTSD treatment for adults, rather than medication. Our psychologists offer the trauma therapy approaches NICE recommends:

• EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing): while you briefly hold a memory in mind, your therapist guides you through side-to-side eye movements or tapping. This helps the brain file the memory away properly, so that it loses its emotional charge.
• Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT): helps you make sense of what happened, change painful beliefs such as “it was my fault” or “nowhere is safe”, and gradually stop avoiding reminders.
• A phased approach for complex trauma: first safety and stabilisation, then processing memories, then rebuilding confidence, relationships and everyday life.
• Supporting skills: grounding, breathing, sleep strategies and skills from DBT and mindfulness to manage strong emotions.

With the right PTSD treatment, many people notice real change within 8 to 12 sessions for a single event. Complex or long-standing trauma usually takes longer, and that is completely normal. If medication could help alongside therapy, we will suggest you discuss it with your GP.

Do I Have to Talk About Every Detail?

No. This is one of the most common worries, and it stops many people from getting help. In trauma therapy you are always in control. Your therapist will never push you to share more than you are ready to, and the early sessions focus on building safety, trust and coping skills rather than on the memories themselves.

Some approaches, such as EMDR, need surprisingly little spoken detail. When you do work on a memory, it is done in small, planned steps, and every session ends with time to settle so that you leave feeling steady.

Your First Trauma Therapy Session

Your first full session is mostly about getting to know each other. Your psychologist will ask how you are sleeping, what a typical day looks like, what reminders affect you most and what you would like to be different. You can bring someone with you to the clinic for support if that helps, and you can take a break at any time.

By the end, you will have a clear idea of the treatment plan, how many sessions it is likely to take, and some first coping skills to use straight away. Many people say they leave the first session feeling lighter, simply because they have finally been understood.

Who Our Counseling for Trauma Helps

• Adults living with PTSD or complex PTSD, diagnosed or not
• Survivors of assault, abuse or domestic violence
• People still shaken months after an accident, injury or medical emergency
• Parents affected by a traumatic birth or the loss of a baby
• Healthcare, emergency service and military personnel affected by their work
• Refugees and people affected by war, in English or Arabic
• Anyone whose past keeps getting in the way of their present

How It Works at Feeling To Healing

Each session lasts 55 minutes, usually once a week. You can stop, pause or slow down at any time. Counseling for trauma works best when you feel safe with your therapist, so if the fit does not feel right, tell us and we will help you change.

Online Trauma Therapy Across the UK

For many people, online trauma therapy feels easier. You are in your own safe space, there is no journey home after a difficult session, and you can wrap yourself in a blanket or have a pet nearby. Research shows that EMDR and trauma-focused CBT can work well by video.

You need a private room, a phone, tablet or computer, and a steady internet connection. We agree a safety plan with you at the start, so that you know exactly what to do if you feel unsettled after a session. Read more about our video sessions.

Trauma Therapy in London: Our Clinic

If you prefer to meet face to face, we offer trauma therapy in London at our clinic at 106 Empress Avenue, London E12 5EU, in East London. Sessions take place in a calm, private setting, and we can arrange your appointments at quieter times if busy places feel difficult for you. Many clients mix clinic and video sessions, for example starting online trauma therapy and moving to the clinic once they feel ready.

Meet Our Trauma Team

Feeling To Healing is a team, not a one-person practice. Your therapy is provided by qualified psychologists, so you can be matched with the person whose experience suits you best.

Alongside therapy, some clients also find relaxation work helpful. Inas Hassan, our Certified Hypnotherapist, works with stress, burnout and sleep, in Arabic, French and English. Our wider team also includes Hannah Norris, Nutrition Consultant, and homeopaths Dr Anelia Dimitrova and Hafsa Hasan.

Private Trauma Therapy or the NHS?

In England you can refer yourself for free NHS Talking Therapies, which offer PTSD treatment in many areas. Waiting times vary, the number of sessions is often limited, and complex trauma may need a referral to specialist services with longer waits.

With private trauma therapy at Feeling To Healing there is no waiting list and no GP referral, you can choose your therapist and setting, and you keep the same psychologist throughout. Our session fees are on our fees page. You pay us directly, as we do not bill insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, we give you a receipt after each session so that you can claim the cost back from your insurer yourself.

Grounding You Can Try Today

When a memory or feeling starts to pull you away from the present, grounding brings you back into your body and the room around you. The 5-4-3-2-1 exercise is simple and works almost anywhere:

• Slow your breathing: breathe in for 4, out for 6, for a minute or two.
• Press your feet into the floor and notice the weight of your body on the chair.
• Hold something cold or splash cool water on your face.
• Remind yourself where and when you are: say today’s day and date out loud, then “I am here. I am safe now.”
• Keep a steady routine: regular meals, daylight, movement and a set bedtime help a nervous system that is on high alert.

These skills do not replace therapy, but they can make the hardest moments more manageable while you wait to start. The free NHS Every Mind Matters tools can help too.

Supporting Someone After Trauma

• Listen without pushing for details. Let them share at their own pace.
• Believe them, and avoid “you should be over it by now”.
• Help with practical things, such as shopping, lifts or childcare.
• Learn their triggers and avoid surprises where you can.
• Encourage professional help, and look after yourself as well.

When to Seek Urgent Help

Frequently Asked Questions

You may also find these helpful: PTSD, psychotherapy, anxiety treatment, therapy for depression and all our therapy services in London.

This page is for general information and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Reviewed by Dr Carlo Demarco, Consultant Psychologist, October 2026.