Trauma-Informed Family Therapy
Many family difficulties have roots in past experiences — adverse childhood experiences, loss, violence, displacement, or patterns that have been passed down through generations. Trauma-informed therapy holds this gently while helping your family move forward.
When the past shapes the present
Families carry histories. Sometimes those histories are spoken about — a parent's difficult childhood, a bereavement, a migration. Sometimes they're unspoken but present in everything: the way conflict is handled, the things that are never discussed, the emotional distance that nobody can explain.
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) — growing up with domestic violence, substance use, parental mental illness, neglect, or abuse — don't just affect the person who lived through them. They shape parenting, relationships, and family patterns in ways that often repeat across generations.
How I work with trauma
Trauma-informed practice isn't a specific technique — it's a lens. It means I approach every family with an awareness that difficult past experiences may be part of the picture, even if they're not the presenting problem.
- Creating emotional and physical safety in sessions
- Going at your pace — never pushing you to disclose before you're ready
- Understanding triggers, survival responses, and protective mechanisms
- Exploring intergenerational patterns without blame
- Building resilience and connection within the family
- Working alongside individual trauma therapy if needed
My training and experience
I hold multiple levels of trauma-informed practice training and have worked extensively with families where trauma — including addiction, domestic violence, and neglect — is part of the picture. My systemic training at the Institute of Family Therapy integrates trauma-informed approaches throughout.
Common questions
What does 'trauma-informed' mean?
It means I understand that many family difficulties have roots in past traumatic experiences — whether recognised or not. I work at your pace, create emotional safety, and never push you to revisit painful experiences before you're ready.
Do I need to talk about the trauma in detail?
No. Trauma-informed therapy isn't about reliving traumatic events. It's about understanding how past experiences shape current patterns, responses, and relationships — and what might help you move forward.
Can family therapy help with intergenerational trauma?
Yes. Patterns of trauma, coping, and relating often pass through generations. Systemic therapy is particularly well-suited to exploring these patterns because it works with the family system, not just individuals.
The past doesn't have to define the future
Therapy can help your family build something new from where you are now.
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