Dealing with trauma can at times seem overwhelming, with feelings of anxiety, numbness, reactivity, disconnect or withdrawal and depression. Flashbacks and or ‘hyperarousal’ – where reactions feel consistently heightened or unnecessarily intense can be an indication that past traumas are impacting you.
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What is Trauma?
Trauma and PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder) can occur as a result of a single acute incident of trauma like a car accident or a one-off violent assault or be through the culmination of ongoing physical or psychological abuse, neglect or mistreatment.
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Complex trauma is the result of long-term abuse or neglect, often experienced since childhood.
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Many front-line workers, including police officers, ambulance officers, and firefighters, can also be impacted by the traumatic events they witness and experience at work.
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Cultural trauma can be the result of the ill-treatment of a person due to their cultural background or abuses that occur within a cultural framework.
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Surviving a war or similar global events beyond one’s control, like a pandemic can also have ongoing traumatising impacts.
What is PTSD and how is it related to general trauma?
It is not unusual, in fact it is natural, for people to have a heightened negative reaction to a traumatic event. Some people may find the impact passes and the memory of the event no longer effects them. However, this is not always the case. When a past trauma continues to have a pervasive effect, through heightened emotions, intrusive images or thoughts (known as flashbacks) or other unwanted behaviours or coping mechanisms that can result from traumatic experiences, this can indicate that you are experiencing post-traumatic stress or PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder).
Trauma Psychologist Melbourne
Renee Melges is a Melbourne Clinical Psychologist who takes a holistic approach to trauma counselling and PTSD. A holistic approach considers the whole person – their mind, body and spiritual wellbeing, to bring a multi-faceted understanding of the effects and impacts of trauma. Read on to learn more about Renee and how she can support or get in touch.
Symptoms that indicate you are impacted by past trauma can include:
Fear of certain situations that might trigger past painful memories.
These types of symptoms are known as ‘avoidance symptoms’ because you may find yourself avoiding the places or people that may trigger you into a reaction to a past event.
Re-living of violent or life-threatening experiences
Known as ‘Re-experiencing symptoms’ these symptoms can feel very real, as though you are physiologically experiencing the traumatic event/s over again. They may include intrusive thoughts or images, known as ‘flashbacks.’
Feeling jumpy or easily triggered
Hyperarousal or reactivity symptoms occur when you are on edge all the time and it seems as though you can’t help taking this out on other people. This is an exhausting way to live and not healthy for your wellbeing or your relationships.
Seeing yourself negatively
Framing yourself negatively can result from long-term past trauma as your sense of self can be fractured. This is known as a Cognitive symptom because it is part of the internal world view you have of yourself. Internal criticism can leave you feeling as though you are battling yourself. Many people self-medicate with drugs and alcohol or engage in risky behaviours as a result of this.
Trauma counselling Melbourne
What is Trauma Counselling and how can it help heal the symptoms of PTSD and impacts of trauma?
Counselling provides a safe space to begin to deal with traumatic events or break repeated patterns that may no longer be serving you.
Trauma and its impacts are exacerbated by avoiding the trauma and self-medicating in ways that have a compounding rather than healing effect.
Counselling allows you the space to talk to someone in a trusted environment who will support you with the psychological tools to support self-healing. Renee approaches each client with the understanding that they hold the answers within themselves and with the right support and framework this becomes evident to them.
As a Holistic Clinical Psychologist her training is evidence-based and person-centred. She uses a strengths-based psychotherapeutic approach to support you to uncover the patterns that may be keeping you stuck. Together you will work through memories and reprocess events so that you are more at ease talking about past experiences without re-traumatization or hyperarousal occurring.
Treatments can include but are not limited to:
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CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy)
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EMDR
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Psychotherapeutic Approaches
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Mindfulness
Length of treatment varies depending on the person and their individual circumstances, but a series of sessions is recommended. This supports you to integrate the techniques and do the homework suggested to help rebuild resilience and implement changes in your day-to-day life.
FAQ
What is your experience working with people with trauma and PTSD as a ‘Trauma Psychologist Melbourne’?
While the term Trauma Psychologist Melbourne is a useful search term there is no official designation of ‘Trauma Psychologist’ in the Psychology profession however Renee has a breadth of experience working with people with complex trauma. She has worked in the field of trauma counselling in Melbourne and rural Victoria, NSW and ACT for over 25 years which started with her work as a psychologist for a government agency in the Human Services sector in her late 20s. There she dealt with families and individuals dealing with extreme abuse and complex trauma. Many of her clients had adverse childhood experiences and long-term childhood abuse and neglect that was impacting them in their teen and adult daily life. Many were reintegrating after periods in correctional institutions, many had experienced broken homes, foster care or highly unstable home environments. In her private practice she has also worked with people who have experienced trauma from work situations, cultural traumas and spiritual trauma.
What interventions do you use in your approach to trauma counselling Melbourne?
Psychotherapeutic Approaches
Well versed in evidence-based interventions like CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) Renee has found her clients most benefit from an in-depth psychotherapeutic approach which considers the whole person – where they have come from, the conditions and environments that have shaped or impacted them and what their sense of themselves is beyond the environmental or experiential events that may have traumatised them. Supporting people to uncover where they have been impacted by events that are outside of themselves and reacquainting people with their deeper sense of strength and inner-resilience is an empowering process. This allows people the space to reaffirm their strengths and discard the patterns that no longer fit with their psychological wellbeing.
Over a 25-year practice many have benefited from her psychotherapeutic approach to trauma counselling Melbourne and Australia-wide.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
More recently she has worked with EMDR to support people who would like to explore this treatment. EMDR involves a person engaging in simple bio-mechanical movements, moving the eyes from side to side with guidance from Renee while they visualise traumatic past events. EMDR has the effect of supporting the brain to reconnect to adaptive resources that the person was shut down from during their experience of past trauma, leading to a feeling of distancing from past trauma and a sense of being able to live more in the present. EMDR for some can have the effect of taking away the fear or terror once associated with the trauma. It is a reprocessing of the memory so that it is no longer associated with the heightened emotions of the original impact. This treatment involves an unfolding step by step process that is facilitated by Renee.
Childhood Trauma Counselling
Renee has a wealth of experience working with people who have experienced adverse events and abuse in childhood. With a delicate and dedicated Psychotherapeutic approach she supports people to see themselves beyond the impacts of abuse and to recognise the patterns that may be stemming from adverse experiences that are still affecting them today but which no longer serve them. She inspires you to connect with your intuition and your sense of empowerment. For many this richness of joy and connection may have been interfered with or disconnected from years ago, due to early traumatisation. Reigniting this inner spark is an enlivening and inspiring process that supports psychological and spiritual wellbeing.
Do you need a GP referral to see a Clinical Psychologist in Australia?
In Australia, you don’t require a GP referral to see a Clinical Psychologist. However, to access a rebate for Holistic Counselling or Holistic Psychology sessions from Medicare under the Medicare Benefits Scheme, you will need your GP to provide an up-to-date Mental Health Care Plan.
Where are you based?
Clinical Psychologist Renee Melges sees people in her Ashburton, Melbourne psychology rooms and can also see you online if you prefer – for some this is convenient if travel time or distance is an issue. With video on and in a safe quiet space, a video call can be just as supportive and interactive as an in-person session.
Ready to take the next steps?
An initial call with Renee is recommended so she can learn a bit more about your circumstances and let you know if she can support. Inquire about an initial intro call here or call or text Renee on +61 414 866 330.
