EMDR therapy in North Adelaide and online Australia wide
EMDR therapy for adults living with the effects of childhood trauma
You may have become very good at coping. From the outside, you might look like you're managing just fine, while internally you feel anxious, overwhelmed or constantly on alert.
Perhaps you struggle with self-doubt, relationships or knowing what you actually need. Maybe you often feel like you're too much, not enough, or somehow getting things wrong.
You can understand where some of these patterns came from and still find yourself reacting in the same ways.
I work with adults experiencing the longer-term effects of childhood trauma, including complex PTSD, as well as PTSD following traumatic experiences in adulthood.
EMDR is at the centre of my practice. It provides a structured way of working with experiences that are still affecting you in the present.
You might not think of yourself as having trauma
When we hear the word trauma, we often think of one major event.
But difficult experiences in childhood can affect us in many different ways.
Maybe you learnt that you were too much. That your needs came second. That keeping the peace was your job. That you needed to be good, stay alert, be responsible or handle things yourself.
Maybe you became the person who noticed what everyone else needed. You learnt to manage other people's feelings, take care of things, grow up quickly or put yourself last.
These ways of coping can make sense in the environment where they developed. But they don't always work so well later in life.
You might still be on alert when things are okay. You might struggle to trust yourself or other people. You may know you're safe but not actually feel safe.
Or you might simply be tired of feeling like you're always managing yourself.
Therapy can be a place to slow things down, understand what is happening and begin to make some changes.
A little about how I work
I'm Mel, an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and EMDR therapist.
I’m sometimes a little bit chaotic.
In the first few sessions, I’ll ask you lots of questions. I might jump around a bit, follow what sounds like a tangent, then come back to something we were talking about earlier.
There is usually a reason.
I’m trying to put the pieces together. I’m listening for the connections, where some of the stories began and how they’ve been reinforced by experiences throughout your life.
Maybe you learnt that you were too much. That your needs came second. That keeping the peace was your job. That you needed to be good, stay alert, be responsible, or handle things yourself.
Maybe you became the person who noticed what everyone else needed. You learnt to manage other people’s feelings, take care of things, grow up quickly or put yourself last.
You might still find yourself feeling responsible for everyone around you, even when something isn't actually yours to carry.
Over time, these experiences can shape the patterns we fall into, what we believe about ourselves and other people, and what we come to expect from the world around us.
And we go slow…
We go slow so we can go fast.
If EMDR processing is part of our work, there’s some groundwork to do first. I want to understand what helps you feel safe, what happens when emotions get big, and how we can help you stay connected when things feel difficult.
We also want to make sure there’s room for the good stuff too. Being able to notice and tolerate positive feelings can be just as important as being able to sit with the difficult ones.
EMDR is my primary therapeutic approach, but it isn't the only thing we might use. I also draw on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Interpersonal Therapy, depending on what you’re experiencing and what we’re working towards.
We can work out together what is going to be most useful for you, and when EMDR processing is appropriate.
Trauma doesn't always begin in childhood
Although much of my work is with the longer-term effects of childhood trauma, traumatic experiences can also happen later in life.
You may have experienced sexual assault, violence, an accident or another event that has changed your sense of safety.
You might be experiencing PTSD symptoms such as intrusive memories, nightmares, avoidance or feeling constantly on edge.
Or perhaps the experience has shown up more as anxiety, panic, difficulty trusting people or feeling disconnected from yourself.
EMDR can be used to work with traumatic experiences, including single-incident trauma and PTSD, when clinically appropriate.
Anxiety, panic and phobias
Sometimes anxiety has a clear connection to past experiences. Sometimes it doesn't.
You might be dealing with panic attacks, a particular phobia, health anxiety or a general sense that your nervous system is always switched on.
You may have started avoiding places, situations or experiences because you don't know how you'll cope if the anxiety comes up.
Therapy can help you understand what's happening and develop ways of responding to anxiety rather than having your life organised around avoiding it.
Depending on what you're experiencing, we may use EMDR alongside other evidence-based approaches. The treatment needs to fit the problem, rather than forcing everything into one approach.
Therapy in North Adelaide and online across Australia
I offer in-person appointments in North Adelaide and online therapy for adults across Australia.
The frequency of sessions can vary depending on what you're working towards, your circumstances and what feels manageable for you.
Some people find weekly sessions helpful, particularly when beginning therapy or doing trauma processing. For others, appointments may be spaced further apart.
There isn't one right frequency for everyone.
Let’s make sense of what shaped you, and work with what’s still affecting you.
Appointments are available throughout the week and on Saturday mornings. If you are ready to work together, I invite you to book an appointment or get in touch with any questions.