Trauma doesn’t discriminate. It can arrive through a single devastating moment or accumulate slowly over years. It might stem from childhood experiences, relationship wounds, workplace incidents, accidents, or any of countless other sources. Whatever form your trauma takes, one truth remains constant: you deserve skilled, compassionate support to heal.

Trauma Takes Many Forms

Trauma is not limited to one experience or one type of event. It is important to understand that trauma can present in many different forms—some are widely recognised, while others remain deeply misunderstood or minimised by society. In my practice, I work with all types of trauma, and no experience is too big or too small to deserve professional support.

“Trauma is perhaps the most avoided, ignored, belittled, denied, misunderstood, and untreated cause of human suffering.” — Peter A. Levine (2008, p. 3)

Sexual Trauma Any experience of unwanted or coerced sexual contact—including sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse, and sexual harassment—whether it occurs within relationships, families, workplaces, or institutions. Survivors often carry deep feelings of shame and self-blame, none of which are deserved.

Physical Trauma Harm caused through assault, domestic and intimate partner violence, accidents, medical or surgical trauma, or injury. The body retains the memory of these events long after wounds have healed, often manifesting as chronic pain, hypervigilance, or a persistent sense of being unsafe.

Emotional and Psychological Trauma Sustained emotional abuse, neglect, manipulation, gaslighting, or psychological control. These wounds may not leave visible marks, but they can profoundly erode a person’s sense of self-worth, trust, and safety—with an impact just as devastating as physical harm.

Organisational and Institutional Trauma When systems designed to protect people instead cause harm through abuse, negligence, or a culture of silence. This betrayal of trust by trusted institutions can make healing especially difficult.

Why Trauma-Informed Care Matters

Not all therapy is created equal when it comes to trauma. In my Adelaide practice, I understand that traditional talk therapy isn’t always enough. Trauma lives in the body, shapes our nervous system responses, and influences how we experience safety, connection, and ourselves.

“In order to change, people need to become aware of their sensations and the way that their bodies interact with the world around them. — Bessel van der Kolk (2014, p. 99)

Trauma-informed therapy means I recognise these complexities. I create a space where you can stay within your optimal arousal zone—that bandwidth where you feel grounded, present, and able to process experiences without becoming overwhelmed or shutting down. Together, we’ll often work near the edges of your comfort zone, gently dipping your toes into uncomfortable spaces only when you’re ready, at a pace that feels safe for your nervous system.

This careful, titrated approach to healing means you’re never pushed beyond what you can handle. Healing happens through building your capacity gradually—not through re-traumatisation.

Multiple Pathways to Healing, Its Your Choice and Your Body

Healing from trauma isn’t one-size-fits-all. In my practice, I draw from evidence-based approaches that work through different pathways in the brain and body (Complex Trauma Resources, n.d.):

Top-down approaches engage your thinking brain—using cognitive processing, narrative work, and perspective-taking to help you make sense of your experiences and reshape how you respond to triggers.

Bottom-up approaches work directly with your body and nervous system—through breath work, movement, and somatic awareness—to release trauma stored in your physiology and reset your body’s alarm system.

Side door approaches integrate mind and body through practices like mindfulness, expressive arts, and body centred therapies that forge new connections between your thinking and feeling brain, creating pathways for healing that transcend the limits of talk therapy alone.

By using multiple modalities tailored to your unique needs, we can access healing through whichever door—or combination of doors—works best for you.

You’re Not Broken—You’re Surviving

Many clients come to therapy believing something is fundamentally wrong with them. The anxiety, the hypervigilance, the emotional numbness, the difficulty trusting others—these aren’t character flaws. They’re intelligent adaptations your nervous system developed to keep you safe.

My work with you helps you understand these patterns, process what happened to you, and gently build new pathways forward. You’ve already survived the hardest part. Now it’s time to move from surviving to truly living.

The Courage to Heal

Healing from trauma requires courage—the courage to feel, to remember, to let go. It’s not always comfortable, but neither is carrying the weight of unresolved trauma. As Levine (2010) reminds us, “trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however, have to be a life sentence” (p. 34). With appropriate guidance and support, trauma can be transformative.

“Healing involves discomfort. But so is refusing to heal. And over time, refusing to heal is always more painful.”— Resmaa Menakem (2017, p. 21)

Professional Expertise You Can Trust

Healing from trauma requires more than good intentions—it demands specialised training, ongoing professional development, and deep understanding of how trauma affects the whole person. In my practice, I bring:

• Evidence-based therapeutic approaches tailored to trauma recovery.
• A safe, confidential space in the heart of Goodwood, Adelaide.
• Genuine understanding that healing isn’t linear.
• Expertise across diverse trauma presentations.
• Commitment to your autonomy and empowerment throughout the process.

Every Person Deserves to Be Heard

Whether you’re carrying childhood wounds and attachment trauma, processing recent events, navigating complex PTSD, or struggling with experiences you can’t quite name—your story matters to me. No trauma is too big or too small for professional support. No timeline is too recent or too distant.

Ready to Take the First Step?

Reaching out for help takes courage, and that courage deserves to be met with skill, warmth, and expertise. If you’re in Adelaide and ready to begin your healing journey, my Goodwood practice is here for you.

You’ve carried this alone long enough. Let’s walk this path together. Schedule your initial consultation and discover how trauma-informed therapy can help you reclaim your life.

References

Complex Trauma Resources. (n.d.). Path to recovery: Top-down, bottom-up, or through the side door? https://www.complextrauma.org/complex-trauma/path-to-recovery/

Levine, P. A. (2008). Healing trauma: A pioneering program for restoring the wisdom of your body. Sounds True.

Levine, P. A. (2010). In an unspoken voice: How the body releases trauma and restores goodness. North Atlantic Books.

Menakem, R. (2017). My grandmother’s hands: Racialized trauma and the pathway to mending our hearts and bodies. Central Recovery Press.

van der Kolk, B. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.