Therapy for Trauma & PTSD
Difficult and overwhelming experiences leave real marks — on how safe the world feels, on sleep, on quality of life and on trust. Our psychologists provide therapy for trauma, PTSD and complex trauma (C-PTSD), drawing on trauma-focused approaches including, but not limited to, EMDR. Medicare rebates are available with a GP referral.
On this page:
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FAQs
What trauma can look like
Trauma responses are normal responses to abnormal events — and they don't only follow the events people usually think of. Accidents, assaults, medical events, traumatic loss, violence at home, bullying, and long periods of feeling unsafe or unseen (especially early in life) can all leave lasting effects. Not everyone who goes through something traumatic develops ongoing difficulties; when effects do persist, they often include:
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Re-experiencing — intrusive memories, nightmares, flashbacks, or strong reactions to reminders
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Avoidance — avoiding places, people, conversations or feelings connected to what happened
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A body on high alert — startling easily, poor sleep, irritability, difficulty relaxing or concentrating
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Shifts in how you experience yourself and others — self-blame, low self-esteem, disconnection, or a sense that people can't be trusted
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Feeling spacey, unreal or "not quite here" at times (dissociation)
Other symptoms can accompany trauma
Most people who seek help after trauma aren't dealing with one set of symptoms. Trauma commonly travels with depression, anxiety and panic, sleep problems, chronic tension and pain, substance use, eating difficulties, and struggles in relationships — and many people are treated for these for years before anyone asks about what happened to them. This is one reason a thorough, unhurried assessment matters: when the underlying thread is recognised, the other difficulties often start to make sense — and treatment can address the source rather than chasing symptoms one at a time.
When coping strategies become a problem — addictions, binge eating, overworking
When feelings are unbearable, you find what works: drinking or drugs that quiet the noise, food restriction or bingeing that offers a sense of control or comfort, overworking, compulsive habits, or shutting people out. These strategies are sometimes treated as the problem — but they generally began as solutions, ways of surviving something overwhelming. That's why willpower alone rarely shifts them. Therapy works on both levels: building safer ways of coping, and addressing the pain the old strategies were managing — which is often what finally lets them go.
Complex trauma and C-PTSD
When trauma was repeated, prolonged or relational — particularly in childhood — its effects often show up less as flashbacks and more as long-standing patterns: difficulty trusting, harsh self-criticism, trouble knowing or regulating what you feel, and relationships that keep hitting the same painful places. This is often called complex trauma. It responds to therapy too — usually at a steadier pace, with more attention to safety and stability first.
Dissociation and gaps in memory
Dissociation is one of the mind's automatic self-protective responses: when an experience is too overwhelming to stay present for, the mind creates distance from it. It can show up as spacing out or losing time, feeling foggy or far away, watching yourself as if from outside, feeling that you or the world aren't quite real, or going numb and shut-down under stress. Many people who lived through prolonged difficulty — especially in childhood — also find they simply can't remember stretches of their life. That isn't a flaw in your memory; it's often the same protective system at work. And importantly, therapy does not depend on remembering everything: you can heal without a complete record of what happened.
How does therapy help trauma?
Ideally trauma therapy is paced rather than rushed, and collaborative — nothing should happen before you're ready. Early work typically focuses on safety, stabilisation and understanding your reactions (which alone can bring real relief). Then processing work can help the memories lose their emotional charge, so they become things that happened rather than things that feel like they are still happening. Later work often focuses on rebuilding — trust, relationships, and how you see yourself. You stay in control of the pace throughout, and you don't need to describe every detail of what happened for therapy to help.
What does "trauma informed" mean — and why does it matter?
Trauma-informed therapy is less a technique than a stance that shapes everything about how the work is done. It starts from the understanding that trauma is common, that its effects reach the body and nervous system as well as thoughts and feelings, and that symptoms are best understood as adaptations — the question is "what happened to you?", not "what's wrong with you?". In practice it means safety and trust come first; you're given genuine choice and control over what's discussed, when, and at what depth; nothing is forced; and the process is transparent, so there are no surprises. This matters because therapy done without it can unintentionally repeat the dynamics of the original harm — being pushed past your limits, feeling powerless, having things done to you rather than with you. Handled well, the therapy relationship itself becomes part of the repair: a repeated experience of being safe, respected and in control.
Trauma treatment approaches used at South Yarra Psychology
Clinical guidelines recommend trauma-focused therapies for PTSD, including trauma-focused CBT and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing). Our psychologists also draw on Schema Therapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS) for the long-standing patterns that often follow complex trauma, and body-based approaches such as Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, tailored to your situation, history and preferences. Some of the most popular approaches include:
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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing). Traumatic memories are often stored differently from ordinary ones — still carrying the original images, sensations and beliefs, which is why they can feel as raw as the day they formed. In EMDR, you briefly bring a memory to mind while following bilateral stimulation (such as guided eye movements), which supports the brain's own processing so the memory loses its charge — it becomes something that happened, rather than something still happening. It involves less detailed talking about the trauma than many people expect, and it's recommended in clinical guidelines for PTSD.
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IFS (Internal Family Systems). IFS understands the mind as made up of parts: protective parts that work hard to keep pain out of awareness — the inner critic, the controller, the part that numbs or distracts — and wounded parts that still carry the original hurt. Rather than fighting your protective strategies, IFS treats them with respect (they've been doing a job), and helps you build a steady inner relationship with the parts carrying the pain, so they can finally release it. It's an increasingly used approach for trauma, particularly where self-criticism, inner conflict or long-standing patterns are part of the picture.
Our psychologists who work with PTSD and trauma
Our entire team has trained in providing treatment for trauma and PTSD, including several EMDR-trained psychologists. That doesn't mean you'll connect equally well with all the psychologists; we encourage you to read about our psychologists, or book a free 10-minute matching call with our principal psychologist to explore options.
Fees & Medicare rebates
Medicare rebates of $101.55–$149.05 per session apply with a GP referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan. A referral is not needed to book, unless claiming Medicare rebates.
Some of our psychologists also see clients with WorkSafe, TAC or VOCAT funding — please call the practice or book a free matching call to discuss before booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I have to talk about what happened in detail?
No. Trauma therapy is paced, and you stay in control. Some approaches, including EMDR, involve less detailed verbal retelling than people expect — and early sessions focus on safety and stability, not the memories themselves.
What is the difference between trauma and PTSD?
Trauma refers to the experience and its effects; PTSD is a specific pattern of persistent reactions — re-experiencing, avoidance, a body on alert, and shifts in mood and beliefs. You don't need a PTSD diagnosis for therapy to be worthwhile.
My trauma happened a long time ago — is it too late?
No. Therapy can help decades after the events — long-standing effects, including complex trauma from childhood, respond to well-paced work.
Do you offer EMDR?
Yes — several of our psychologists are trained in EMDR and use it within a broader, tailored therapy.
What if there is ongoing violence?
Then the first step is supporting you to explore your options and how you can establish safety, rather than focus on trauma processing. While danger is current, many trauma responses — staying alert, scanning, being ready — are actually protective, and therapy respects that rather than trying to switch them off. A psychologist can support you individually with safety planning, steadying support and next steps at your pace.
Specialist family-violence support is available 24/7 through 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732); if you're in immediate danger, call 000.
Ready to take the first step?
Use our online booking system to schedule a free 10-minute psychologist matching call, with our principal psychologist. Prefer to talk? Call reception on 03 9804 5448 (Mon–Fri, 8.45am–5.15pm).
If you're unsafe, call 000. If you're in crisis, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14.