Therapy for people who have experienced childhood trauma
Healing from trauma is a deeply personal process. If you have experienced childhood abuse, neglect or other overwhelming experiences, you may find that the past continues to affect how you feel, think, relate to others and see yourself today.
Counselling provides a safe, compassionate space to understand these experiences and gently explore their impact. Together, we can work towards feeling safer within yourself, developing healthier ways of coping, building emotional awareness and regulation, and strengthening confidence and self-worth.
Trauma recovery is not about forgetting what happened. It is about gradually rebuilding trust, connection, joy and a sense of meaning in your life. With support, you can begin to move from simply surviving towards healing, growth and greater resilience.
Everyone's journey is different, and there is no set timeline for recovery. With understanding, self-awareness and the right support, healing is possible.
Three Phases of Trauma Therapy
The first step in trauma recovery is creating a stronger sense of physical and emotional safety. This means taking the time to build trust, understand what you need to feel comfortable, and develop practical strategies to help you manage difficult emotions, stress and overwhelming moments.
Together, we can build your awareness of how trauma may affect your thoughts, feelings, body and responses, while developing skills to help you feel more grounded and in control. This might include learning to recognise triggers, understand your emotional responses, manage distress, set healthy boundaries, and develop ways to care for yourself when things feel difficult.
There is no pressure to talk about or process traumatic memories before you feel ready. Establishing a sense of safety and stability can be an important part of healing in itself, and many people experience meaningful improvements simply through learning to understand themselves, regulate their emotions and feel more confident in managing everyday life.
Phase 1. Safety and Stabilisation
When you feel ready, we can gently explore and make sense of difficult experiences in a safe and supportive environment. This is always guided by you, and you will never be expected to revisit or talk about anything you are not comfortable with. Processing traumatic memories is not necessary for everyone to make meaningful progress. Often, developing a greater sense of safety, learning ways to manage emotions, understanding yourself and building healthier patterns can be an important part of healing in itself.
Phase 2. Trauma Processing
Phase 3. Integration and Reconnection
As you begin to feel more secure and confident in yourself, therapy can help you reconnect with the parts of life that matter to you. This might mean understanding who you are and what you value, building more trusting relationships, enjoying activities again, setting healthy boundaries, finding your voice, or making plans for the future.
Together, we can work towards feeling more comfortable in your own skin, developing a stronger sense of identity and self-worth, and putting you back in the driver's seat of your own life — with greater choice, confidence and control over the direction you want to take.
Counselling Enquiries
Feel free to call me on my mobile 0401 441 530 or send me an email at hello@rachelleslater.com.au.
Alternatively, use the form to send me a message.
I am available face-to-face and online.
Weekend appointments are also available.
I look forward to hearing from you.