Trauma and PTSD
Nigel is a registered and experienced Manchester Psychotherapist / Counsellor, EMDR Therapist, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Life Coach and NLP Master Practitioner who works with psychological trauma and PTSD. He has taken additional accredited training in CBT and EMDR.
To book an appointment, or make an enquiry, call 0161 881 4333 or Click
here to email
What is emotional and psychological trauma?
The Oxford Dictionary defines trauma as an “Emotional shock following a stressful event or a physical injury, which may lead to long-term neurosis”. What this means is that emotional or psychological trauma may be caused by experiencing or witnessing any stressful situation that is so outside your normal range of experience and ability to cope, that it shatters your sense of security, leaving you feeling overwhelmed, helpless and vulnerable. These stressful situations often involve a significant threat to your safety or life. However, any situation that leaves you feeling intensely frightened and helpless can potentially be traumatising even if there is no physical harm.
Not everyone who experiences a stressful event will develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It is your subjective emotional experience of the event that can cause trauma, not the objective details of the event. The more helpless and frightened you feel the more likely you are to be traumatised.
The appearance of trauma symptoms may sometimes be delayed for months or even years. Often making it difficult to see a connection between the symptoms you are experiencing now and the traumatic event which may have occurred a long time ago. Issues such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, inappropriate anger, nightmares, addiction, low confidence and self-worth, health issues, and difficulties in relating to others, may be caused or influenced by past traumas.
Example situations that may cause PTSD / trauma
Traumas may be caused by a single intense event, or a series of stressful events.
Some examples of single events that may cause PTSD / trauma:
- a road traffic accident
- a rape
- witnessing a death
- a mugging
- a robbery
- a natural disaster
- injury in military conflict
Some examples involving a series of events:
- childhood abuse (including emotional, sexual and/or physical abuse)
- domestic violence
- bullying at school or work
- military conflict
Complex Trauma / Developmental Trauma Disorder / Childhood Trauma
Complex Trauma or Developmental Trauma Disorder is chronic and occurs when a child is exposed to multiple, prolonged or accumulative traumatic events which impact their ongoing development. It most often interpersonal and often occurs at developmentally vulnerable times in the child’s life, especially in early childhood or adolescence. Complex trauma typically involves psychological maltreatment, neglect, antipathy, physical and sexual abuse, or witnessing domestic violence. It usually occurs within the child’s primary caregiving system.
A child is considerably more vulnerable than an adult, both in a physical and psychological sense. The younger the child is the more physically vulnerable they are, and the less life experience and understanding they will have to make sense of what is happening. This can cause them to feel more confused, helpless and unsafe, and therefore potentially more frightened and prone to developing trauma and other maladaptive ways of coping.
When people think of childhood trauma or developmental trauma, they often think of extreme examples such as physical or sexual abuse. However, situations that from an adult perspective might seem quite minor, can sometimes be intensely frightening and traumatising for a child.
A few examples that can have the potential to cause childhood traumas: physical or sexual abuse, abandonment, neglect, an emotionally unavailable parent, being bullied, being an unwanted child, witnessing arguments or violence, a family member with a mental health condition, accidents, parents separation/divorce, death of a close family member, starting a new school, moving house, separation from friends/family, incidents of intense embarrassment or shaming, illness (self or other), bullying, getting lost/separated from parents.
Effect on adult life
Whilst some of these childhood traumas would not satisfy enough criteria in adult life to be diagnosed as PTSD, they can and do have a significant impact on peoples thoughts, emotions, behaviours, coping strategies and relationships later in adult life. Sometimes causing or contributing to issues such as emotional dysregulation, loss of a sense of safety and the ability to detect danger cues, anxiety, depression, inappropriate anger, insomnia, low confidence and self-worth, medically unexplained symptoms, health issues, and difficulties in relating to others, in adult life.
Symptoms of PTSD / trauma:
Shock, denial, or disbelief
Anger, irritability, mood swings
Guilt, shame, self-blame
Feeling sad or hopeless
Confusion, difficulty concentrating
Anxiety and fear
Withdrawing from others
Feeling disconnected or numb
Physical symptoms of PTSD / trauma:
Insomnia or nightmares
Being startled easily/jumpy
Aches and pains
Edginess and agitation
Trauma and PSTD treatment in Manchester
The trauma treatment utilises Herman’s Three Stage Model of Trauma Recovery.
1) Safety and Stabilisation, 2) Processing traumatic memories, 3) Resolution and integration. In actual practice, the treatment is likely to be more fluid than this with frequent movement between the phases.
The therapeutic approach combines psychotherapy with EMDR, Focusing, Somatic Experiencing, CBT, NLP and Mindfulness.
As everyone is unique, the trauma and PTSD treatment available at the Manchester psychotherapy practice is tailored to your individual requirements. So the exact form of the treatment and number of sessions will vary from person to person. However, very specific traumas originating from a single recent event can often be treated with short-term therapy, typically as little as 6 to 12 sessions. For Complex PTSD, Complex Trauma or developmental trauma, longer-term therapy will almost certainly be required, and may take some time.
The process will require a regular and on-going commitment of your time and energy, with sessions usually taking place on a weekly basis.
Booking is easy
Before booking it is very important that you get any physical symptoms checked by a medical practitioner.
I recommend booking an Initial Consultation first. This gives us the chance to begin to explore your issues and your requirements further, give you honest answers to any questions you might have and give you a realistic estimate of the number of sessions you may require. When you are ready to make the inner changes you need, simply phone me on 0161 881 4333 or Click here to email to make an appointment now.
I currently practice from a consulting room in my home in a quiet residential area in Chorlton in South Manchester. If you can’t travel to me then I am also available for online therapy, counselling and coaching via Skype and Hangouts.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Session fees are paid at the time of booking.
You may pay by cash, debit card, credit card, private medical insurance, direct bank transfer or by PayPal. I no longer accept cheques.
I am currently registered to provide psychotherapy/counselling with a number of private health insurance companies. Insurers all have slightly different rules of cover, and it is important to contact your insurer directly to check what your policy covers. You will need to get written proof of authorisation or authorisation code before proceeding.
Most insurers will usually only pay for short-term time-limited treatment for acute issues.
Cost when paying per session:
See the consultation fees page for session prices and discounts.
Websites about trauma and related disorders
Nigel Magowan BSc(Hons) UKCP Reg. MBACP AccMCCP DABCH GHR SQHP AMPM
UKCP Registered and Accredited Psychotherapist, BACP Registered Psychotherapist, EMDR Therapist, Life Coach, Licensed NLP Master Practitioner, Ecotherapist, GHR Accredited Supervisor andﾠClinical Hypnotherapist
Clients come to me from all over the North West of England, see below for a list of areas covered:
GreaterManchester: Chorlton ~ Didsbury ~ Fallowfield ~ Eccles ~ Irlam ~ Salford ~ Worsley ~ Levenshulme ~ Withington West Didsbury ~ Whalley Range
North Trafford: Stretford ~ Urmston. Altrincham ~ Sale ~ Timperley Stockport: Bredbury ~ Brinnington ~ Cheadle ~ Gatley ~ Heaton Moor ~ Heaton Norris ~ Heaton Chapel ~ Heaton Mersey ~ Hazel Grove ~ Marple Cheshire: Alderley Edge ~ Knutsford ~ Tatton ~ Wilmslow ~ Lymm ~ Dunham Massey ~
Congleton ~ Macclesfield ~ Mobberley ~ Frodsham
Trauma and PTSD related keywords:
trauma in children
post traumatic stress
Nigel Magowan is a Manchester based UKCP registered and accredited psychotherapist who integrates psychotherapy with CBT, EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, NLP, Focusing and Mindfulness to help people suffering from trauma and PTSD.