What is therapy?

Therapy, also known as psychiatry, psychotherapy, psychology or counselling, is generally a long-term process where a client works with a Mental Health Professional to diagnose, recognize and resolve unhealthy beliefs, behaviours, relationship issues, emotional and physical responses created by past traumas. Therapy focuses on the past traumas and issues and can incorporate specific modalities such as CBT for Trauma, EMDR, Brainspotting, Neurofeedback in order to adapt or change self-destructive habits, maladaptive coping mechanisms, repair and improve relationships and work through the painful emotions from the past traumas. Therapy works with your past and uses introspection, analysis and structured theories, aiming to resolve the past traumas and issues to create a healthier, functioning, happier and more stable future.

What is Complex Trauma Coaching?

A Certified Complex Trauma Recovery Coach is a Mental Health Practitioner trained in working with clients with Childhood Trauma otherwise known as Complex Ptsd. With Coaching past traumas are acknowledged but we work in the present reality.  Clients experience an emotionally safe environment, and do not experience re-traumatisation. Coaches acknowledge with gentle curiosity maladaptive coping mechanisms and unhealthy behaviours due to broken core beliefs from past traumas.

Coaches also educate their clients about

* the effects of Complex Trauma and developmental needs 

* the neuroscience of trauma

* psychoeducation

* somatic work

* alternate modalities

that may be helpful, whilst normalising the clients reality, relaying how healing occurs and utilise S.M.A.R.T goals for specific growth.

Trauma Recovery Coaches practice the client has what it takes within them to heal and help clients experience their ability to heal.  Sustainable recovery goals individualised for each client’s needs and assessing client progress is charted to ensure clients achieve desired outcomes.

Coaches always maintain a safe space for the client to discuss and process their experiences in the context of a relatable, professional relationship. Coaching empowers the client to solve their own problems and equip our clients to understand what is happening physically, emotionally and mentally when behaviours are repeated. Coaches assess how the client desires to navigate change and help to construct personalised strategies for the client to move forward in a different way. 

How is Trauma Recovery Coaching different from Life or Professional Coaching?

Trauma Recovery Coaching is different than Life or other types of coaching because we do take into account past traumas and how they have affected clients in the present day. Other types of coaching look only at the present day/future with clients and don’t identify the root of how a client’s experience has been coloured by developmental trauma.

Coaches do not use structured theories, diagnose mental illness or tell clients what they should do in a given situation. We do discuss options, look at areas of potential growth, set recovery goals and view experiences, positive or negative as learning opportunities, guiding the client to see the best potential outcome for them.

There is a distinct equality to the Coach and Client relationship. Coaches support clients no matter what they choose to do, always validating and understanding how the client arrived in this situation. The client is responsible for the outcome and growth. Trauma Recovery Coaches work in the ‘bi-products’ of trauma: codependency, shame, addiction, self-harm and focus on self-care and self-compassion. 

Should I choose a Therapist or a Certified Trauma Recovery Coach? 

How to determine which is right for you? If you are suffering from undiagnosed depression, anxiety or suicidal ideation, then working with a therapist and psychiatrist is necessary. 

Coaches do not diagnose or prescribe medication. Coaching is not therapy, counselling, advice giving, mental healthcare, or treatment for substance abuse or any addictive behaviour. The coach is not functioning as a licensed mental health professional, therapist or counsellor, and coaching is not intended as a replacement for counselling, psychiatric interventions, treatment for mental illness, recovery from past trauma, professional medical advice, financial assistance, legal counsel, or other professional services.

Coaching is for people who may be struggling, but who have a stable emotional baseline, may have done some internal work/healing previously and want to actively participate to move from recovery towards remission. Coaching clients may have one particular area they wish to work on, connected with their trauma, where specific maladaptive coping mechanisms have been carried into adulthood and no longer serve them for survival. 

Coaching can involve brainstorming, values clarification, completion of written assignments, education, goal-setting, identifying plans of action, accountability, making requests, agreements to change behaviour, examining lifestyles and responding to questions from the coach. 

Can I choose both a Therapist and a Certified Trauma Recovery Coach?

Yes. Clients can see both therapists and Trauma Recovery Coaches at the same time, and it’s highly effective. If releases are signed, the therapist and Trauma Recovery Coach can communicate on the client’s behalf, which can be helpful but is not necessary.

How is Trauma Recovery Coaching so effective?

There are multiple reasons how Trauma Recovery Coaching is effective – 

* Childhood trauma is interpersonal. It happened with an unsafe person 7 times your size. Trauma Recovery is experienced with another adult where you are emotionally safe to be fully known and fully accepted. Safe relationships are transforming.

* The goals are yours, the direction is yours and you are supported 100% by the Trauma Recovery Coach through the process. You are in charge and are taking back your power to live your life.

* Our unconscious brain was programmed to life is overwhelming and unmanageable. Working with a Trauma Recovery Coach helps you experience how life is functional and manageable. It’s the experience in a safe place that changes our perceptions.

* Complex Trauma Recovery Coaching is designed specifically for Complex Trauma health and recovery. Client needs are met specifically not generally and each client is recognised as having individual needs to be met.

* Not revisiting the past helps the mind, body and brain feel safe to release the past as you experience here, now, today. Essentially as a client and coach work together the client breaks free from the seemingly never ending chaotic emotional cycle.

What is it like to work with a Trauma Recovery Coach?

It is within the context of relationships that we can heal our past traumas. We grow and excel in an environment with just the right amount of support, education, gentle challenges and encouragement. Learning to understand ourselves is key, how we got here, what happened along the way and having a supportive, caring coach who can help identify objectively the trauma roots, helps the client to help themselves. Coaching offers an honest and compassionate space for the unfolding of your healing journey. The goal is to help the client address the issues that inhibit them from living more fully, deeply and with greater satisfaction. 

What is it like to work with Linda?

The core is the same for each client, Linda is a highly compassionate individual who can relate to and understand all that you’ve been through so far. Linda lost all her cognitive function, so no memory, no ability to walk or talk or take care of herself and needed a full time carer. She has experienced crippling anxiety attacks similar to epileptic seizures, depression that knocks you out without a choice, lived on hypoarousal, fawn mode, for decades, and was misdiagnosied and medical mismanaged by doctors.  

You’ll find her to be your greatest encourager, and her belief in you and your ability to recover will help you through the most challenging of times. You’ll be supported where you need it and challenged where you need it to. And through it all you will definitely experience progress into greater health and freedom from the symptoms of Complex Trauma because Linda lives and works this path every day of her life.