Complex PTSD often stems from ongoing childhood trauma, abuse, or neglect. It can show up as intense shame, fear of abandonment, difficulty trusting others, emotional flashbacks, or feeling like you're always “too much” or “not enough.” This counselling offers a safe, respectful space to explore the long-term effects of trauma and begin rebuilding a sense of self. Online trauma therapy is available across Victoria.
Understanding Complex Trauma
More than a single event.
How long-term trauma shapes the body, mind and relationships
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) develops in response to repeated or ongoing trauma, often beginning in childhood. This may include sexual abuse, family violence, emotional neglect, or growing up with a parent who was abusive, emotionally unavailable, or struggling with their own mental health. These early experiences can shape how you relate to others, how safe you feel in your body, and how you see yourself.
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People living with complex trauma often experience:
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Intense shame or self-blame
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Emotional dysregulation or feeling “too much”
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Persistent fear of abandonment or rejection
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Chronic self-doubt or identity confusion
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Difficulty trusting others or forming stable relationships
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Emotional flashbacks or dissociation
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Long-standing patterns like people-pleasing, avoidance or anger outbursts
Some clients also carry a diagnosis such as Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), which shares many features with complex trauma. In a trauma-informed space, these symptoms are not treated as disorders to be fixed — but as survival responses to overwhelming life experiences.
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How I Work with Complex PTSD
My approach is grounded in the Blue Knot Foundation’s three-phased model of trauma recovery, which guides therapy through:
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Safety and Stabilisation – building emotional safety, developing grounding tools, and working with the nervous system to reduce overwhelm.
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Processing and Integration – gently exploring the trauma story, meaning-making, and healing shame and inner fragmentation at a pace that feels right for you.
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Reconnection and Growth – supporting you to build secure relationships, self-trust, and a renewed sense of identity beyond trauma.
Therapy is tailored to your needs, whether you're just starting out or have done trauma work before. We go slowly, with full consent, and always at your pace. I support clients through the long-term impacts of childhood sexual abuse, relational trauma, emotional neglect, and those navigating complex patterns like BPD or high-functioning anxiety.