When very sad or scary things happen, our memories and feelings from those events can become stuck and we can lose our ability to feel safe, trust other people, or calm our emotions. This is known as "trauma," and it can lead to a variety of mental, physical, and social difficulties.
Trauma can be hard on children and families, but with trauma-focused therapy, it is possible to recover!
Trauma is more than what most people think. If you have ever experienced something so overwhelming that it has left a lasting negative impression on your brain and body, chances are that you have experienced trauma.
The goal of evidence-based trauma-focused therapy, such as Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, is to teach your brain and body that what happened in the past is over and you are safe now.
With EMDR therapy, you don't have to share details of what happened because it works directly with your brain and body to release the stuck parts of the memory, such as images, beliefs, emotions, and body sensations.
After EMDR therapy, you will be able to think about the memory without getting overwhelmed by it, and many of the symptoms and behaviour connected to the memory will start to melt away - sometimes very quickly.
We offer EMDR therapy to children, young people, and their caregivers in an intensive format (longer sessions over a shorter period) so you can start to experience relief and regain control of your life sooner.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is one of only two evidence-based therapies that are recommended by both the World Health Organisation and Australian PTSD Guidelines. We also use other evidence-based trauma-focused interventions including the Flash Technique and Emotional Freedom Techniques.
To learn more about EMDR therapy, check out the EMDR Doctor Podcast produced by Australian EMDR therapist and GP, Dr Caroline Lloyd.
Lionel is a counsellor and educator with over 20 years' experience helping adults and young people change patterns of behaviour through pastoral counselling and professional training.
As a parent, foster carer and practitioner, Lionel understands how unresolved trauma can impact children and their families. This has led him to undertake extensive training in contemporary evidence-based approaches for working with trauma.
Lionel is committed to providing compassionate and effective support to children, families, and communities by helping them to make sense of their past and create safety in the present so they can thrive long into the future.
