Trauma is not just what happened to you, it’s also what your mind and body had to do in order to survive it.
Trauma can be understood as any experience that overwhelmed your ability to cope, particularly when there wasn’t enough supportive response, comfort, or protection afterward.
When something overwhelming or distressing happens, your brain and body don’t always store it as a smooth, completed memory. If the experience felt too intense, too fast, or unsupported, the nervous system may not fully “file it away” as something in the past.
Instead, parts of it can get stored as implicit memory—meaning body sensations, emotional states, and threat responses.
Later on, when something in the present even vaguely resembles the original experience (a tone of voice, a feeling of helplessness, a certain dynamic, or even internal stress), your nervous system can react as if the original situation is happening again. This is why it can feel like:
It’s not trying to trap you in the past. It’s trying to protect you based on what it learned: “When this felt like this before, I needed to react quickly to stay safe.”
The challenge is that the system hasn’t fully updated to reflect that the danger is no longer present. So part of therapy work is gently helping the nervous system differentiate then vs. now, so those old protective responses don’t get activated as strongly in the present.
Betrayal trauma: when trust is broken in a significant relationship, leading to confusion and self-doubt
Single-event trauma: a specific overwhelming experience such as an accident, loss, or assault
Complex trauma: ongoing experiences that shape how you relate, cope, and stay safe
Developmental trauma: growing up without consistent emotional or physical safety
Relational trauma: experiences involving manipulation, control, gaslighting, or chronic invalidation
Traumatic grief: grief that feels overwhelming or difficult to integrate
It can feel like your nervous system takes over, learning to scan and anticipate anything that once felt scary or hurtful. When something in the present feels similar to the past, those survival patterns can be reactivated in an effort to protect you.
These responses can feel confusing, especially when they show up long after the experience itself. You might notice things like:
Healing is not about pushing through—it’s about safety, trust, and steadiness.
In our work, this means:
I’m Adrie-Anne Gamble, Clinical Counsellor and I offer compassionate and specialized therapy for adults healing from trauma.
Together, we focus not only on understanding what happened, but also on supporting the healing of the emotions, thoughts, and nervous-system responses that trauma can leave behind. This may include processing difficult memories, working with beliefs formed through painful experiences, and gently addressing nervous system responses that can keep you feeling stuck in survival mode.
I also work with you to develop what may never have been fully nurtured—self-trust, emotional regulation, healthy boundaries, and a secure sense of self. Through experiential, trauma-informed work, we create opportunities for new experiences of safety, connection, and confidence that can gradually become part of daily life.
I also offer counselling from an accepting Christian perspective if faith is important in your healing process.
If you are wondering whether this feels like the right fit, I offer a free 15-minute consultation. I would be honored to connect with you.
Mon | Closed | |
Tue | 08:30 a.m. – 02:00 p.m. | |
Wed | 08:30 a.m. – 02:00 p.m. | |
Thu | 08:30 a.m. – 02:00 p.m. | |
Fri | 08:30 a.m. – 02:00 p.m. | |
Sat | Closed | |
Sun | Closed |