Trauma can come from things that happen to us directly, from difficulties in our close relationships, or from experiences within the wider community or systems around us. Although it affects everyone differently, everyone deserves compassion, support, and a path toward healing.
This page brings together all the key information to help people understand trauma, its different forms, and the therapies that can support recovery.
What is trauma-informed therapy?
Trauma-informed therapy recognises the widespread impact of trauma and prioritises emotional safety, choice, collaboration, and trust.
All trauma therapy at MCTS is delivered using trauma-informed principles, ensuring you feel supported, respected, and in control throughout the process.
The three phase model of trauma treatment
Most trauma therapies follow a three-phase approach, ensuring you feel safe, supported, and prepared at every stage.
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Getting ready: learning to cope with painful memories
Before processing difficult memories, therapy helps you:
- Understand your reactions
- Learn ways to calm your body
- Build emotional strength and safety
This phase is especially important in childhood trauma therapy, where early experiences may have shaped emotional regulation and attachment.
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Processing the trauma
When you’re ready, you and your therapist gently work with trauma memories. This may involve:
- Talking therapy
- Imagery, drawing or creative therapy
- structured methods like EMDR or trauma focused CBT
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Reclaiming your life
After processing, therapy focuses on helping you:
- Rebuild confidence
- Strengthen relationships
- Reconnect with activities and values that matter to you
Direct and indirect trauma therapies
People heal in different ways. Therapies often fall into two groups:
Direct therapies
These work directly with trauma memories.
- Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR): Uses eye movements or tapping to help the brain file away trauma memories so they feel less overwhelming.
- Trauma focused CBT: Helps update unhelpful beliefs formed during trauma.
Indirect (creative) therapies
These support healing without needing to talk directly about what happened.
- Art therapy
- Music therapy
- Drama or movement-based therapies
Indirect therapies may suit you if you find it hard to talk or prefer creative expression.
PTSD symptoms
Some people who experience a traumatic life event may develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Symptoms of PTSD can include:
- Flashbacks or nightmares
- Avoiding reminders of what happened
- Feeling constantly on edge or unsafe
- Strong emotions or physical reactions when triggered
These symptoms usually last for weeks or longer and affect daily life.
Complex PTSD (CPTSD)
Alongside PTSD symptoms, complex PTSD may also involve:
- Difficulty managing emotions
- Feeling ashamed, worthless, or full of guilt
- Trouble trusting others or feeling close to people
Different forms of trauma
Trauma can come from lots of places. Some may be obvious, some hidden. Here are some common types:
- Single-event trauma: Accidents, assaults, or natural disasters
- Childhood trauma: Abuse, neglect, loss, or unmet emotional needs
- Medical trauma: Frightening or painful medical experiences
- Bullying and social harm: Ongoing harassment or exclusion
- War, military, and combat trauma: Exposure to life-threatening situations, violence, and loss
- Relational or attachment trauma: Harm within close relationships
- Secondary trauma: Experienced by carers, professionals, or family members
- Intergenerational trauma: Passed through families or communities
- Community or collective trauma: Slavery, genocide, or systemic violence
- Cultural and identity-based trauma: Racism, sexism, homophobia, antisemitism, or discrimination
- System or organisational trauma: Foster care systems, courts, or institutional racism
You are not alone
Many people worry that their experiences “aren’t bad enough” to count as trauma. But if something has left you feeling unsafe, overwhelmed, or unlike yourself, trauma therapy can help.
If you’d like, we can guide you through choosing the right therapy, explore your goals, or simply have a gentle first conversation.
Why MCTS?
- Fast access to trauma informed therapy: Compassionate and non-judgemental support from qualified therapists.
- Personalised care: We will match you with a clinician who meets your specific needs, personality, and preferences, making therapy more effective.
- Quality-assured service: we have a robust vetting process for all our therapists and parenting specialists which is compliant with OFSTED, CQC and DfE requirements.
- People-driven, not profit driven: We are registered with Social Enterprise UK, meaning we are committed to reinvesting at least 51% of our profits into providing better care for the people we work with.
- Tailored advice: Support even if you’re unsure which therapy or programme is right for you.
Explore other therapies
Not sure if shema therapy is the right fit? We offer a range of therapies:
Schema therapy
A form of psychotherapy that focuses on understanding and changing negative thought patterns and creating healthier life perspectives.
Creative therapy
Creative therapy, such as art therapy, drama therapy, and movement therapy, use creative expression to process emotions in a safe, supportive setting
Therapeutic Life Story Work (TLSW)
A structured, compassionate approach that helps children and young people understand their past, make sense of their life, and build their future.
