Trauma Therapy in Adelaide

At Bella Vida Psychology, we understand that trauma can affect how you feel, think, and relate to others; sometimes in ways that are not immediately obvious. We provide evidence-based trauma therapy, which offers a space to explore these patterns, help you process difficult experiences, reduce distress, and work towards meaningful change.

Understanding Trauma

Up to 42% of Australians have been exposed to a potentially traumatic event prior to the age of 18 years. It is estimated that 75% of Australian adults have experienced a traumatic event at some point in their life (Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2026).

Signs of trauma

- Feeling more irritable or angry
- Constantly on edge or alert
- On the look out for danger
- Being easily startled
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty sleeping
- Feeling anxious when you think of or are reminded of the trauma
- Feeling disconnected from yourself or the present moment
- Trying not to think about the trauma
- Gaps in memory related to the trauma
- Blaming yourself or blaming others
- Distressing thoughts or dreams about the trauma
- Feeling like the trauma is happening again, even if it isn’t
- Always expecting something bad to happen
- Struggling to feel happy, joyful, or other pleasant emotions
- Often feeling sad, hurt, or other unpleasant emotions
- Feeling emotionally numb
- Avoiding people, places, or situations that remind you of the trauma
- Reckless or self-destructive behaviour
- Struggling to trust or connect with people
- Pursuing relationships with people who hurt you

Trauma is not only defined by what happened but by how your mind and body responded.

It can affect the way you feel, think, relate to others, and move through the world.

Sometimes the impact is obvious. Other times, it can show up quietly through anxiety, emotional overwhelm, numbness, people-pleasing, perfectionism, or difficulty feeling safe and connected.

Types of Trauma:

Acute trauma

For example: Accidents, assaults or violence, medical events

Childhood Emotional Neglect or Abuse

For example: Witnessing parental substance use, emotionally immature parents, unmet emotional needs, parentification

Complex and Developmental Trauma

For example: Abandonment, parental separation, witnessing or experiencing violence, growing up in an unpredictable environment

Relationship and Attachment-Related Trauma

For example: Infidelity, betrayal, attachment wounds

Vicarious Trauma

Grief and Loss

Bullying and Social Exclusion

Workplace Trauma

You do not need a formal diagnosis for your experiences to be valid or appropriate for therapy.

How Trauma Therapy Can Help

Trauma therapy may help you:

Reduce anxiety, hypervigilance, and overwhelm
Reduce intrusive thoughts, memories, and distressing dreams
Understand and change patterns in thoughts, emotions, and relationships
Reduce people pleasing, self-criticism, and perfectionism
Build emotional resilience and coping strategies
Feel happier
Reconnect with a sense of self and direction

Trauma therapy is not about reliving everything in detail. It focuses on helping you feel safer, more calm and in control, and moving forward from the past.