Can I have trauma therapy online?
As a Psychotherapist I hear a lot of misinformation about therapy.
One of them is that you shouldn’t do trauma therapy online.
I hear people saying that it’s dangerous, it’s ineffective and that it’s hard to build rapport or connect with an online therapist but I disagree.
Before the pandemic, I had an office in Manchester city centre and only worked face to face with clients. During the pandemic, I could no longer work face to face and started to market my practice as an online practice.
I have always worked online with clients if they’ve wanted to, so I’ve been working online with clients for a decade now - it isn’t a new concept to me. I’ve also had my own therapy online for more than 15 years so I’m also familiar with being a client in online therapy and know what it’s like.
It can be overly restrictive for people to look for face to face therapy. Most people have a limit to how far they are willing (or able to travel) and if you’re restricted by your location, you may not find the kind of specialist that you’re looking for.
By the time clients have reached me, I’m rarely their first therapist. In fact, I’m often the last in line of an attempt to find and secure what they needed; a therapist who understood complex trauma, cptsd, emotional abuse, narcissistic abuse or childhood emotional neglect.
Furthermore, many clients find that even with therapist who understand and empathise with their situation, this doesn’t always translate into change.
What is trauma therapy?
Trauma therapy is a form of counselling that helps people process distressing or overwhelming experiences in some way. Trauma can result from a single event, such as an accident, or from ongoing experiences, such as abuse or neglect.
When there is one event which causes lasting trauma, it is called PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).
When trauma results from ongoing experiences (rather than a single experience) it is often referred to as complex trauma or CPTSD.
Left unprocessed, trauma can affect emotions, relationships, sleep, and even physical health.
Trauma therapy in London, Manchester and across the UK.
You’re busy. And frankly the last two therapists you saw in person were… mediocre.
If you have a good internet connection and somewhere private to talk, trauma therapy can be equally effectively online. Research has shown that online therapy can be just as effective as face to face therapy for many conditions, including CPTSD.
I screen prospective clients before working on them to ensure that I am working with clients who I can help. I don’t work with clients online if they have safety concerns or cannot keep themselves safe because you are likely to need additional support if this is the case. For clients who are confident in their safety, there is no reason why online trauma therapy can’t be a useful choice.
Although you lose some connection working online vs in person, I find I can create very good connections with clients online. I am still able to red body language, and get a sense of what you’re feeling via video call.
Benefits of online trauma therapy
Online trauma therapy isn’t just a substitute for face to face therapy it also brings unique advantages:
Accessibility - You can see a therapist regardless of where you live. I work with many expats or clients in European countries who are looking for an English speaking trauma therapist in their location.
Convenience - You can access therapy from your own home.
Flexibility - Online sessions make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules; some clients come to therapy in their lunch hour or after work.
Therapist choice - You’re not limited to therapists within driving distance; you can work with someone who specialises in complex trauma (who you might not otherwise be able to access).
Portability - even if you move or go away, you can take your therapy with you (if you want to).
Who isn’t right for online therapy
Online trauma therapy is not a good fit for everyone. Here’s some things to consider:
Crisis support - If you’re in immediate danger or experiencing severe suicidal thoughts, online therapy may not be enough. In these situations, you need support from your GP and potentially a psychiatrist or crisis team.
Trauma type - I speak to all clients before agreeing to work to check that I have experience working with the type of trauma you have. In some cases, I may need to refer you on to someone more suitable.
Privacy and tech – You’ll need a private space, a good internet connection, I use Zoom for video calls so you would need this also.
Personal preference - Some people prefer face to face therapy (although even clients with reservations about online therapy have told me it’s been much easier and less awkward than they imagined).
How do I find an online trauma therapist
Check what experience your therapist has with your issues
Check they are registered with a voluntary body in the UK (therapy, psychotherapy and counselling is not yet regulated which means there are no clear guidelines around the training that should be undertaken). The biggest bodies in the UK are currently, BACP, UKCP, NCPS and BABCP.
You can ask what a typical session would look like
Check how you feel; do you feel understood? Do you like your prospective therapist?
You can also check out my blog post on finding a childhood trauma therapist here:
How I work with trauma online
To start with, I check if we’re a good fit to work together in our initial call.
In the first session I take a family history, asking questions about your experiences in childhood
I also ask in more detail what you’re looking to work on
In the next sessions we go more into the areas you would like to work on
We don’t explore any trauma in detail until your symptoms are manageable
Exploring trauma before you are ready can exarcerbate symptoms
You need coping strategies to feel safe before you can explore trauma (if you do this)
Many people need to reconnect with their body and their emotions; I teach you how to do this in sessions
Is online trauma therapy right for you?
Online trauma therapy is highly effective for many people. It allows you to work with a therapist of your choice and gives you access to more specialised support than you might otherwise find in your area. In fact, I believe it’s far more helpful for most people to find a therapist specialising in their specific requirement than to see a general therapist in many cases.
If you prefer working face to face or need crisis support then traditional therapy might be a better fit.
If you’d like to find out more about how I can help you recover from CPTSD and feel better about yourself, you can book a free call by clicking on the button below.