What is trauma therapy & how can it help you?

When something overwhelming or painful happens in your life - something that shakes your sense of safety, control, or self-worth - it can leave a lasting imprint.

You might feel stuck, anxious, emotionally numb, or like you’re constantly reacting to things that “shouldn’t” bother you.

This is where trauma therapy comes in.

It’s not just about talking through the past. It’s about helping your brain and body finally feel safe and at ease again. It’s about restoring a sense of security, rebuilding trust in yourself, and finding your footing in the world after something (or many things) knocked you off balance.

What is trauma?

In my work, I use a brain-based model called predictive processing to understand trauma and to help people make sense of what they’re going through.

Here’s how I often explain it:

Trauma can happen when something overwhelming occurs (either to you or to someone else you witness) where there’s a serious threat to life or safety, and you feel powerless or hopeless in that moment.

It could be a single event like an accident, medical emergency, or assault, or it could be something that happens over a long period of time like childhood neglect, emotional abuse, or never having your basic emotional needs met.

It doesn't matter how "bad" the event or experience seemed from the outside. It's all about how you experienced it.

How the brain reacts to trauma

Our brains are always trying to predict what’s going to happen next and figure out a plan to handle it. That’s what helps give us a sense of being prepared and in control. But when something traumatic happens, and your brain doesn’t know how to respond, it gets stuck.

That stuckness is what I refer to as a “glitch”, it can feel like we're in a kind of a loop.

When the brain doesn’t have a viable way to act or get help, it may keep revisiting the experience, trying to figure out how to fix it or how to be prepared next time. That might look like:

• Constantly thinking about what happened

• Feeling on edge or easily startled

• Avoiding reminders or emotions connected to it, or being easily triggered by these

• Shutting down or disconnecting from yourself or others

  
  

You need to know that it's not a personal failure to experience trauma or the after effects. Your brain is always doing its best to keep you safe, even if that old response isn’t helpful anymore.

A quick personal note

When I first became a qualified counsellor, I discovered the predictive processing model at and it changed everything for me.

I had been living with the effects of complex PTSD for years, and for the first time, I finally (properly!) understood what my brain had been trying to do to keep me safe.

Using this framework, I was able to gently work through the “glitches” that had kept me stuck, and in a relatively short amount of time I found calm, clarity, and trust in myself again. Not only that, understanding how this process works has helped me feel a lot less vulnerable in the world, because I now have a set of tools that reliably works for the most difficult challenges I've ever faced - so I have an unprecedented level of confidence in my ability to cope, adapt and bounce back.

That’s why I’m so passionate about this work. I know, from both personal and professional experience, that this works and it helps clients reclaim their lives - not by forcing change, but by understanding their nervous system, working with their brain’s protective patterns, and building safety from the inside out.

How unresolved trauma gets more complicated over time

Trauma doesn’t necessarily stay in its original form. Over time, it usually gets layered with other difficult feelings and emotions such as shame, guilt, self-blame, confusion, or even anger at yourself for “not being over it yet.”

You might wonder:

“Why didn’t I do something differently?”

“Was it even that bad, or am I overreacting?”

“Why am I still struggling when everyone else seems fine?”

These thoughts can be painful, and they can make healing even harder.

Shame can lead to silence.

Guilt can prevent you from seeking support.

Blame (from yourself or others) can make the trauma feel like something you caused, rather than something that happened to you.

This is why trauma therapy is so much more than just revisiting the past. It’s about untangling these complicated layers and coming back to the truth that you were doing the best you could with what you had at the time, while (ideally) putting structures in place to help you be better prepared in the future.

How trauma therapy helps

Trauma therapy gives you a safe, supportive space to begin healing at your pace. It’s not about pushing you to “talk about everything” right away. It’s about building a foundation of safety, trust, and connection - first with your therapist, and then, little by little, with yourself.

Here’s what trauma therapy can help with:

• Understanding how trauma has shaped your thoughts, emotions, and behavior

• Getting clarity around "why" you reacted to the experience the way you did

• Learning tools to calm your nervous system and manage triggers

• Processing painful memories in a way that feels safe and contained

• Rebuilding a sense of self-worth and emotional strength

• Restoring your connection to your instincts and learning how to trust them again (or...for the first time in your life)

What healing can look like

Healing from trauma doesn’t mean you forget what happened - we don't need to try and erase your memories for you to be able to feel safe, comfortable and confident. It just means you stop carrying traumatic experiences in the same way. We can resolve that "glitch" so your system is functioning normally again.

You may start to gradually notice:

• Fewer emotional triggers or panic responses

• More clarity and calm in everyday situations

• Stronger boundaries and self-awareness

• A deeper sense of connection to yourself and others

• Relief from the shame, blame, guilt, or confusion that’s been weighing you down

• You begin to trust yourself again (this can be absolutely life-changing)

• A return of pleasant emotions, a desire to re-engage with activities you've enjoyed in the past

You're NOT broken

If you're struggling with the effects of trauma - whether it happened years ago or more recently - please know this:

You are not broken. You are not weak. You are not overreacting.

Trauma therapy is here to help you understand what’s been happening in your mind and body, and to help you find your way back to safety, stability, and self-trust.

You don’t have to keep reliving the past.

You don’t have to go through it alone.

Healing is possible and it can start with one small, brave step.

Are you curious about whether trauma therapy might be right for you? Feel free to book a free consultation.

I provide online therapy to clients Australia-wide and beyond (excluding North America).

- Shannon ✨