Complex PTSD therapy for a nervous system that has had to survive too much
Specialist support for long-term trauma, emotional overwhelm and chronic survival mode from a calm private garden practice in Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees.
When survival becomes your normal
Complex PTSD can develop when distress has been repeated, prolonged or relational. It may be linked with childhood trauma, childhood sexual abuse, emotional neglect, unsafe relationships, bullying, coercive control, repeated loss, workplace harm or years of feeling that you had to manage alone.
It is not simply “being sensitive” or “not coping”. Often it is the nervous system doing what it learned to do: watch, scan, please, protect, shut down, keep going or expect danger.
Support begins with safety
With complex trauma, we do not rush straight into the hardest memories. We first build steadiness, grounding and choice. You need to feel that therapy is with you, not happening to you.
My Occupational Therapy background helps us look at how trauma affects daily life now: sleep, routines, work, relationships, sensory load, boundaries and the ability to feel safe in your own body.
Problems people often search for
Your nervous system may still be reacting from old threat patterns, even when the present moment is safer.
Shutdown can be a protective response learned through repeated overwhelm or relational distress.
Complex trauma can make connection feel uncertain, unsafe or something you have to constantly monitor.
Living in survival mode takes a lot of energy, even when other people cannot see what it costs you.
Yes. Abuse in childhood can affect the nervous system, relationships, trust, shame, body safety and emotional regulation years later.
Yes. You do not have to share everything at once. Therapy can begin gently, with safety and choice at the centre.
How EMDR can fit within complex trauma work
EMDR can be helpful for complex trauma, but it needs to be paced carefully. We may work first with grounding, body awareness, emotional regulation, parts of self that feel protective, and the practical impact of trauma on your daily life.
When reprocessing is appropriate, EMDR can help memories and body responses lose some of their intensity. The aim is not to erase what happened. It is to help your mind and body know that it is not happening now.
Some people also benefit from lower-distress approaches such as the Flash Technique, especially when memories feel too intense to approach directly at first.
Related support
Childhood Trauma
Early life adversity and attachment wounds often sit underneath complex trauma. Read more
Relationship Trauma
Support for relational distress, unsafe relationships and attachment injuries. Read more
Anxiety & Panic Attacks
Complex trauma can keep the body in high alert. Read more
EMDR Therapy
The main EMDR therapy page explains the approach in more detail. Read more
Complex PTSD questions
Is Complex PTSD different from PTSD?
PTSD is often linked with a traumatic event or events. Complex PTSD is usually linked with prolonged, repeated or relational trauma, and can affect identity, relationships, emotional regulation and trust.
Will EMDR be too much for complex trauma?
It can be too much if rushed. That is why preparation, safety and pacing matter. We work carefully and only move towards reprocessing when it feels clinically appropriate.
Do I need to remember everything clearly?
No. Some people have clear memories; others have fragments, body sensations, emotions or gaps. We work with what is available and safe.
Can EMDR help with trauma from childhood sexual abuse?
EMDR can be used with survivors of childhood sexual abuse, but the work needs to be careful, paced and strongly focused on safety. We would not rush into difficult memories before there is enough stability and trust.
Where is support available?
Sessions are offered from a private garden practice in Billingham village, which is in Stockton-on-Tees, near Middlesbrough, supporting clients from Hartlepool, Yarm, Wynyard, Ingleby Barwick and wider Teesside.
You do not have to explain everything at once
A free 15-minute consultation can help you ask questions and get a feel for whether working together feels right.