TRAUMA THERAPY THAT FITS INTO YOUR LIFE

Is online therapy for me?

Technology (and Covid) opened up a whole new world about how you can access trauma therapy. While the core elements stay the same, working online brings unique pros and cons worth exploring.

PROS

Flexibility and accessibility

Finding a trauma specialist that you connect with used to be a postcode lottery. Online therapy solves a lot of the traditional barriers to consistent therapy. You can access therapy regardless of your location, weather conditions, or transport issues.

Not having to travel back and forth is good for anyone with:

  • hectic schedules

  • limited spoon budgets (hello chronic pain and fatigue!)

  • neurospicy tendencies (sensory needs, time management, compulsory social interactions, the horror of waiting rooms)

  • physical and / or mental health issues that make travel difficult / impossible

The comfort of your own space

The convenience of having zero travel time is excellent but more importantly we are able to create optimal conditions for healing that are specific to YOUR needs. Trauma therapy is emotionally and physically taxing. Staying in your home environment means you have access to all the comforting and grounding tools that would be difficult to lug to the therapy office (your favourite emotional support animal, fidgets & other stims, favourite tea, blankets, scents, etc.). This increases your sense of control and safety and makes the whole process more bearable and effective.

Practising skills in “real life”

Learning and practising new coping skills in the environment where you’ll be using them makes them more relevant. We can spot pitfalls early on and adapt the skills in real time. It makes the transition from the theory to practice much quicker.

Digital resources

We can store any important worksheets, sketches, and diagrams in one digital location. Easy to find, hard to loose. ADHD heaven!

Neuro spicy benefits

Trauma work is a hard work enough. Why not do it in the most controlled and predictable environment possible?

  • not having to hold eye contact in session

  • option of video on / off (for when want to be seen / understood but not “perceived”)

  • chat option for things that are hard to say out loud

  • control sensory environment according to your needs (noise, lights, smells, textures, etc.)

  • no waiting room, no travel, no waiting, no people

  • not having to put on a face the moment you leave the therapy room. you can just be

  • you can show & tell me about special interests

  • access to all your stims, fidgets, and coping tools

CONS

The truth is that online therapy is different and it might not be a good fit for you. Here are some things to consider:

Therapy connection

Having a strong the therapeutic relationship is key to positive therapy outcomes. Without it we can’t go anywhere. Building this connection online can sometimes feel less intuitive than in-person meetings, especially if you’re not used to it. We overcome this by having regular check ins, communicating clearly, and allowing time to build rapport so that you feel supported and understood throughout your therapy journey.

BUT you might find it hard to read people and prefer having the extra data that comes with in-person sessions. While I make sure my communication neurospicy friendly and often label my facial expressions and their meaning explicitly, this might not be enough. In that case, in-person sessions might be a better fit for you.

Safety and support

When we work through difficult topics, you might feel destabilised and emotionally dysregulated in the short term. This is a normal and expected reaction. In-person trauma work also requires robust safety protocols but as we work online these need to be even more clearly defined as I am not there in person with you.

As part of our prep for trauma work, we will:

  • develop a detailed safety plan,

  • clear emergency procedures,

  • identify local support resources,

  • and arm you with personalised grounding techniques

Creating your confidential, therapeutic space

The fear of anyone overhearing your session can be a block to opening up. We will work together to create a private, comfortable space for your sessions. This might mean using headphones, finding a quiet room, or creating simple protocols to maintain your privacy during sessions. Find out more about creating a therapy space.

Technology

While tech enables our work together, it can also be spectacularly obstructive. We address this proactively with:

  • pre-session technical checks

  • clear back up plans for any connection issues

  • simple, secure platforms that prioritise privacy

  • flexible solutions for different devices and internet speeds