Trauma is the mind and body’s response to experiences that overwhelmed your capacity to cope — a single event, or something that went on for years. Its effects can surface long afterwards. Therapy offers a safe, structured way to process what happened, at your pace.
Post-traumatic stress disorder affected 5.6% of Australians aged 16–85 in the previous 12 months (7.4% of women and 3.7% of men), according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2020–22.
Trauma-informed therapy starts with safety and stability before any processing of traumatic memories. Trauma-focused psychological therapies are used within CBT and ACT frameworks, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) for processing traumatic memories, psychodynamic and depth-oriented approaches for complex or long-standing trauma, and skills-based work (including DBT skills) for managing intense emotions. Your practitioner will explain the approach they use and why.
Practitioners choose the approach that fits you — see each profile for the approaches they use, or read the plain-language guide to types of therapy. Further reading: Phoenix Australia — Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health.
No. Trauma therapy is paced. Early sessions focus on understanding your situation, building stability and coping strategies; processing traumatic memories comes only when you and your practitioner agree you are ready.
Yes. Many people seek help years or decades after the events. Long-standing or complex trauma is a particular focus of several practitioners here.
Yes, though many people prefer face-to-face sessions for this work. Talk it through with your practitioner.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 000 in an emergency. OneBodyMind is not a crisis service. Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636.