Trauma Care Guide

Trauma Care Guide

Understand Trauma and Find the Right Support

This guide helps you understand what trauma is, how it can show up, and how to choose a therapist and approach that suits you.

What You Will Find Inside

What is Trauma?

Understanding Trauma and Healing

What is Trauma?

Understanding Trauma and Healing

Where do I start?

Level of Support Needed

Where do I start?

Level of Support Needed

Using the Directory

Navigating the Filters

Using the Directory

Navigating the Filters

What Trauma Therapy looks like

The First Few Sessions

What Trauma Therapy looks like

The First Few Sessions

This guide helps you understand what trauma is, how it can show up, and how to choose a therapist and approach that suit you. It is educational, not a diagnosis or treatment plan.

If you are in immediate danger or crisis, contact local emergency services or a crisis line in your area.


If you are in immediate danger or crisis, contact local emergency services or a crisis line in your area.

What is Trauma?

What is Trauma?

Trauma is not only about what happened. It is about how your mind and body were able, or unable, to process the experience at the time.

Two people can live through similar events and be affected very differently. Support, timing and a sense of safety make a significant difference to recovery.

Trauma is not only about what happened. It is about how your mind and body were able, or unable, to process the experience at the time.

Two people can live through similar events and be affected very differently. Support, timing and a sense of safety make a significant difference to recovery.

Single-Incident Trauma

A one-off event such as an accident, assault or disaster.

Complex Trauma

Long-term experiences, often starting in childhood, such as neglect, abuse or persistent fear.

Ongoing Trauma

Repeated stress or harm such as domestic conflict, bullying or chronic workplace harm.

Vicarious Trauma

The impact of working with or caring for others in distress.

Common Trauma Responses:
Common Signs:

  • Poor sleep, startling easily, feeling constantly on alert

  • Sudden memories or images, distressing dreams

  • Feeling numb, spaced out or disconnected from yourself or your surroundings

  • Avoiding reminders of what happened

  • Irritability, shame, low mood, loss of interest

  • Difficulty trusting others, feeling unsafe in relationships

These are not signs of weakness. They are survival responses that helped you then and may be getting in the way now.

  • Poor sleep, jumpiness, feeling on alert

  • Flashbacks, upsetting dreams

  • Feeling numb or disconnected

  • Avoiding reminders

  • Irritability, shame, low mood

  • Trouble trusting or feeling safe with others

    These survival responses helped you but may be getting in the way now.

  • Poor sleep, jumpiness, feeling on alert

  • Flashbacks, upsetting dreams

  • Feeling numb or disconnected

  • Avoiding reminders

  • Irritability, shame, low mood

  • Trouble trusting or feeling safe with others

    These survival responses helped you but may be getting in the way now.

How Healing Usually Progressess:

  • Safety and stabilisation: grounding, calming the body, and building daily coping skills.

  • Processing and integration: gently revisiting and digesting what happened so it no longer dominates.

  • Reconnection and growth: strengthening identity, relationships and meaning.

A good therapist matches the pace to your needs.

How Healing Usually Progressess:

  • Safety and stabilisation: grounding, calming the body, and building daily coping skills.

  • Processing and integration: gently revisiting and digesting what happened so it no longer dominates.

  • Reconnection and growth: strengthening identity, relationships and meaning.

A good therapist matches the pace to your needs.

Self Reflection

Which Starting Point Fits You?

Pick one answer per question.
At the end see if you chose mostly A, B, or C.

Pick one answer per question.
At the end see if you chose
mostly A, B, or C.

Pick one answer per question.
At the end see if you chose
mostly A, B, or C.

  1. What do you want help with right now?
    A. Stress, anxiety, burnout or relationship strain. I want a steady space to start.
    B. Effects of past experiences such as being on edge, distressing memories or dreams.
    C. Long-term or childhood trauma, feeling disconnected or like different parts of me take over. Past help has not gone deep enough.


  1. How intense is it day to day?
    A. Manageable. I would like better tools.
    B. Noticeable. It affects sleep, work or relationships.
    C. Severe. I am often triggered, overwhelmed or not fully present.

  1. Have you done trauma-focused work before?
    A. No, I am new to this.
    B. Some, and I want to go further.
    C. Yes, and I need a specialist who understands complex trauma.

  1. Do you experience spacing out or losing time?
    A. Rarely. Mainly stress or anxiety.
    B. Sometimes, though I stay oriented.
    C. Often, with gaps in time or strong shifts in state.

  1. What do you most need from therapy now?
    A. Education, coping skills and a safe base.
    B. A structured way to process difficult memories with support.
    C. Care that understands complex trauma and dissociation, with careful pacing.

Mostly A?

Start with a trauma-informed therapist.
Focus on safety, understanding patterns, nervous-system regulation and daily coping.

Mostly B?

Work with a trauma-advanced therapist.
Adds structured trauma methods to process what happened at a safe pace.

Mostly C?

Seek a complex trauma specialist.
Skilled in long-term trauma and dissociation, with phase-based, well-contained work.

Choosing an approach that fits you?

A therapy approach, sometimes called a modality, is the way a therapist works.

You do not need to be an expert. Start with what you want help with and how you like to work.

Visit The Directory

Visit The Directory

Visit The Directory

Top 7 Modalities Explained

Top 7 Modalities Explained

Top 7 Modalities Explained

Using the Directory effectively

If you have a question that’s not covered in the FAQ, please email us at info@traumadirectory.org

How do I choose the right therapist in the Directory?

Start by selecting the recommended care level (Informed, Advanced, or Specialist) based on the reflection prompts provided. These levels reflect differences in training depth, scope, and experience. You can then filter by therapeutic approach, location, online or in-person availability, budget, and specific focus areas such as complex trauma or dissociation. If you’re unsure, it’s often better to choose a therapist whose scope clearly matches your needs rather than aiming for the highest level.

What should I look for when reviewing therapist profiles?

Look for clarity rather than labels. Pay attention to the therapist’s scope of practice, the types of presentations they work with, and how they describe their training and supervision. A good profile should help you decide whether this therapist is a realistic fit for your needs.

How do I write an effective first message to a therapist?

You do not need to tell your whole story. A few sentences is enough. You might briefly include: - What you are seeking support for, in broad terms. - Any practical constraints, such as availability, location, or online versus in-person sessions. It is also okay to ask about fit, approach, or experience. A thoughtful response, rather than a rushed one, is often a good sign.

What can I expect in the first few therapy sessions?

Early sessions usually focus on understanding your goals, history, and current stability. In trauma-focused work, this often means prioritising safety and pacing rather than immediate trauma processing. You should feel listened to and not rushed.

What practical details should I know about using the Directory?

The Trauma Directory is a curated listing rather than a referral service. You contact therapists directly and decide whether to proceed. All arrangements, including fees and consent, are made with the therapist. Inclusion in the Directory does not guarantee fit, and thoughtful choice is encouraged.

How do I choose the right therapist in the Directory?

Start by selecting the recommended care level (Informed, Advanced, or Specialist) based on the reflection prompts provided. These levels reflect differences in training depth, scope, and experience. You can then filter by therapeutic approach, location, online or in-person availability, budget, and specific focus areas such as complex trauma or dissociation. If you’re unsure, it’s often better to choose a therapist whose scope clearly matches your needs rather than aiming for the highest level.

What should I look for when reviewing therapist profiles?

Look for clarity rather than labels. Pay attention to the therapist’s scope of practice, the types of presentations they work with, and how they describe their training and supervision. A good profile should help you decide whether this therapist is a realistic fit for your needs.

How do I write an effective first message to a therapist?

You do not need to tell your whole story. A few sentences is enough. You might briefly include: - What you are seeking support for, in broad terms. - Any practical constraints, such as availability, location, or online versus in-person sessions. It is also okay to ask about fit, approach, or experience. A thoughtful response, rather than a rushed one, is often a good sign.

What can I expect in the first few therapy sessions?

Early sessions usually focus on understanding your goals, history, and current stability. In trauma-focused work, this often means prioritising safety and pacing rather than immediate trauma processing. You should feel listened to and not rushed.

What practical details should I know about using the Directory?

The Trauma Directory is a curated listing rather than a referral service. You contact therapists directly and decide whether to proceed. All arrangements, including fees and consent, are made with the therapist. Inclusion in the Directory does not guarantee fit, and thoughtful choice is encouraged.

How do I choose the right therapist in the Directory?

Start by selecting the recommended care level (Informed, Advanced, or Specialist) based on the reflection prompts provided. These levels reflect differences in training depth, scope, and experience. You can then filter by therapeutic approach, location, online or in-person availability, budget, and specific focus areas such as complex trauma or dissociation. If you’re unsure, it’s often better to choose a therapist whose scope clearly matches your needs rather than aiming for the highest level.

What should I look for when reviewing therapist profiles?

Look for clarity rather than labels. Pay attention to the therapist’s scope of practice, the types of presentations they work with, and how they describe their training and supervision. A good profile should help you decide whether this therapist is a realistic fit for your needs.

How do I write an effective first message to a therapist?

You do not need to tell your whole story. A few sentences is enough. You might briefly include: - What you are seeking support for, in broad terms. - Any practical constraints, such as availability, location, or online versus in-person sessions. It is also okay to ask about fit, approach, or experience. A thoughtful response, rather than a rushed one, is often a good sign.

What can I expect in the first few therapy sessions?

Early sessions usually focus on understanding your goals, history, and current stability. In trauma-focused work, this often means prioritising safety and pacing rather than immediate trauma processing. You should feel listened to and not rushed.

What practical details should I know about using the Directory?

The Trauma Directory is a curated listing rather than a referral service. You contact therapists directly and decide whether to proceed. All arrangements, including fees and consent, are made with the therapist. Inclusion in the Directory does not guarantee fit, and thoughtful choice is encouraged.

The Global Access Trauma Project

Breaking trauma cycles. Making healing accessible.

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Learn About Our Partners

The Global Access Trauma Project

Breaking trauma cycles. Making healing accessible.

Donate Therapy Hours

Learn About Our Partners

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