Psychological trauma occurs as a result of experiencing traumatic events. A traumatic event in the extreme can result in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which may affect a person’s ability to adequately cope with stress.
A traumatic event involves a single experience, or an enduring or repeating event(s), that completely overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope or integrate the ideas and emotions involved with that experience. The sense of being overwhelmed can be delayed by weeks, years, even decades, as the person struggles to cope with the immediate circumstances.

Trauma can be caused by a wide variety of events, but there are a few common aspects. There is frequently a violation of the person’s familiar ideas about the world and of their human rights, putting the person in a state of extreme confusion and insecurity. Psychological trauma may accompany physical trauma or exist independently of it. Typical causes and dangers of psychological trauma are emotional, sexual or physical abuse, bullying, domestic violence, being the victim of alcoholism, observing catastrophic events. Victims of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, war or other mass violence can also cause psychological trauma. Long-term exposure to situations such as extreme poverty or milder forms of abuse, such as verbal abuse, can also be traumatic.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy offers a clear and effective means in which to manage trauma by tackling the important role of thoughts and behaviour which maintains and underpins the way you may feel emotionally. Through this therapeutic process you will be able to gain better control of your reactions to your personal (internal and external) triggers and master skills that can help you feel less anxious or angry. Treatment may comprise of counseling, belief change work, direct psychological education, behavioural and homework based tasks. Eye-Movement Therapies, Mindfulness Training and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy are usually blended together in this treatment for best results, depending on the trauma and the individual needs of the client.