Psychiatry at Psyche Clinic
Expert, discreet psychiatric care tailored to your unique needs
At Psyche Clinic, we offer comprehensive psychiatric services led by some of the UK’s most experienced and highly qualified psychiatrists. Based on prestigious Harley Street in London, our clinic provides a discreet and supportive environment for individuals seeking professional help with a wide range of mental health conditions.
10 Harley St
London W1G 9PF, UK
Trauma
Psychological trauma is both challenging and deeply rewarding to treat, as even small breakthroughs can lead to profound and lasting change. Trauma isn’t a “mental illness” in itself, but rather a psychological and physiological response to events that overwhelm a person’s ability to cope. It often begins with a single event or series of experiences—ranging from abuse and neglect to accidents, loss, or prolonged stress—and its impact can persist long after the danger has passed.
Trauma frequently underlies many other psychological difficulties, including anxiety, depression, substance use, eating disorders, and personality-related issues. It also shares common ground with neurodevelopmental and neurodivergent presentations, such as ADHD or Autism Spectrum Conditions, particularly when trauma occurs early in life.
People often ask whether trauma has become more common. While traumatic experiences have always existed, there is now greater awareness and willingness to seek help. Many individuals who were once told to “move on” or “get over it” are now being properly supported and understood through trauma-informed approaches.
What is Trauma?
Trauma is a psychological response to events that are deeply distressing or overwhelming. It can result from a single incident—such as an accident, assault, or loss—or from ongoing experiences like abuse, neglect, or chronic stress.
Trauma affects how the brain and body process danger and safety. People who have experienced trauma may struggle with anxiety, hypervigilance, emotional numbness, flashbacks, or difficulty trusting others. These responses are not signs of weakness—they are survival adaptations to experiences that exceeded the mind’s capacity to cope at the time.
Trauma can occur at any age and may be rooted in early childhood or emerge later in life. It often underlies other mental health challenges, including depression, PTSD, addiction, and personality difficulties. Effective trauma treatment focuses on restoring a sense of safety, rebuilding emotional resilience, and helping individuals process and integrate what they’ve experienced.
How We Treat Trauma
At Psyche Clinic, we treat trauma using evidence-based psychological therapies, with an emphasis on approaches that are designed specifically to help process and resolve traumatic experiences. Unlike conditions primarily treated with medication, trauma-related symptoms are typically best addressed through talking therapies that support emotional regulation, cognitive processing, and nervous system stabilisation.
We offer a range of therapeutic modalities tailored to the individual’s history and presentation. These include trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), and longer-term psychodynamic or integrative therapies. The choice of therapy depends on several factors: the nature of the trauma (single-incident vs complex), the presence of co-occurring conditions (such as anxiety, depression, or personality difficulties), and the client’s readiness to engage in processing work.
Our clinicians work collaboratively with each client to assess their needs, pace therapy appropriately, and ensure that a sense of psychological safety is maintained throughout. For those with significant emotional dysregulation or dissociation, we may begin with stabilisation work—developing grounding techniques, building resilience, and helping the nervous system return to a state of equilibrium before beginning trauma processing.
Medication is not typically used to treat trauma itself, but may be helpful in managing symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, or intrusive thoughts when these are severe. In such cases, our psychiatrists may prescribe short-term pharmacological support alongside therapy.
Trauma is often cumulative and can be deeply rooted in early life experiences. Many people who seek help do so years or even decades after the events occurred. We recognise that everyone’s experience is different, and our approach reflects this—we never push clients to revisit memories before they are ready. Instead, we focus on restoring control, improving day-to-day functioning, and building a therapeutic relationship grounded in trust.
As trauma can significantly affect occupational, social, and academic functioning, we can also provide letters of support for clients who require adjustments in work or educational settings. These may outline the impact of trauma-related symptoms and suggest accommodations that promote wellbeing and recovery.