TRAUMA & PTSD
Trauma and stress-related difficulties can affect a person’s sense of safety, thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, behaviour, relationships, sleep, concentration, memory, the nervous system and day-to-day functioning.
This hub brings together psychology services and educational articles about PTSD, complex PTSD, trauma responses, EMDR therapy, hypervigilance, dissociation, stress and adjustment.
Trauma refers to experiences that overwhelm a person’s capacity to cope and may leave ongoing effects on emotions, body responses, memory, beliefs, relationships and behaviour.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can involve intrusive memories, avoidance, changes in mood and beliefs, and heightened arousal or reactivity. Complex PTSD may also involve persistent difficulties with emotional regulation, self-concept and relationships.
This hub provides a pathway to service pages for people considering psychological support and educational articles for people wanting to understand trauma-related experiences, therapy approaches and practical psychological strategies.
These service pages explain psychological support for specific trauma-related presentations and approaches. Each page has a distinct service focus so that it complements, rather than competes with, this broader hub page.
Learn about psychological support for PTSD, including assessment, formulation, trauma-focused treatment planning and strategies tailored to individual needs.
Explore psychological support for complex PTSD, including difficulties with emotional regulation, self-concept, relationships and ongoing trauma responses.
Learn about trauma-focused psychological therapy and how treatment may be adapted to a person’s history, current stability, needs and goals.
Explore Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) as an evidence-based psychological treatment used for PTSD and some other trauma-related difficulties.
Learn about psychological support for the ongoing effects of adverse childhood experiences, relational trauma and developmental trauma.
These educational articles explain trauma-related experiences, therapy approaches and coping patterns. They support the service pages without duplicating their treatment-focused purpose.
Learn about similarities and differences between PTSD and complex PTSD, including their core features and effects on daily functioning.
Explore how sustained occupational stress can affect emotional wellbeing, functioning and recovery in helping professionals.
Learn how trauma-informed therapy emphasises safety, collaboration, choice, trust and sensitivity to the effects of trauma.
Consider practical ways of responding to periods of stress and anxiety with greater awareness, grounding and intentional engagement.
Reflect on resilience, attention and the possibility of noticing moments of meaning or beauty while living through adversity.
Psychological support is not based only on a diagnostic label or the type of event a person experienced.
Assessment and formulation help clarify current symptoms, safety, coping resources, trauma history, strengths, relationships, physical and mental health, preferences and goals.
Support may include psychoeducation, stabilisation, grounding, work with avoidance and trauma-related beliefs, trauma-focused CBT, EMDR, emotional regulation skills and practical strategies for improving daily functioning.
The timing and pace of trauma-focused work should be individualised. Therapy may initially focus on safety, stability, trust and coping before directly processing traumatic memories.
This Trauma & PTSD hub provides an overview and helps you navigate the trauma-related resources on this website.
Psychology service pages explain support for particular trauma-related presentations and therapy approaches.
Educational articles provide general information about trauma responses, PTSD, complex PTSD, stress, burnout and trauma-informed care.
You can begin with the resource that most closely matches your current concern and move between related pages as needed.
Trauma-related difficulties can overlap with anxiety, sleep disruption and emotional regulation. These related hubs provide separate pathways without duplicating the purpose of the Trauma & PTSD hub.
Explore psychology services and educational resources relating to worry, panic, social anxiety, OCD, phobias and other anxiety-related difficulties.
Explore psychology services and educational information relating to insomnia, sleep disruption, hyperarousal and healthy sleep.
Explore resources about managing strong emotions, distress, behaviour patterns and practical strategies for change.
Common questions about trauma, PTSD and accessing psychological support.
This page brings together psychology services and educational articles so you can find information about trauma, PTSD, complex PTSD and trauma-focused approaches in one place.
No. Many people seek psychological support because distressing experiences, intrusive memories, avoidance, hypervigilance, sleep problems or relationship difficulties are affecting their wellbeing or daily functioning.
This hub organises the broader Trauma & PTSD cluster. Individual service pages provide more specific information about psychological support for particular trauma-related presentations or therapy approaches.
No. Trauma therapy should be paced according to the person’s needs, safety, stability and readiness. Early work may focus on understanding responses, building trust and strengthening coping before directly processing traumatic memories.
Yes. Therapy is available in person at Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast or via secure telehealth anywhere in Australia.
Psychology appointments are available for adolescents and adults in person at Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast and via secure telehealth across Australia.
For current availability, appointment types and funding information, visit the Appointment Availability page, or book online when you are ready.
This practice is not a crisis service.
If you require immediate assistance, call 000. For crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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