Interpersonal Trauma and Abuse Complex Trauma Appendix 2020

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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events.
Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Someone with PTSD often relives the traumatic event through nightmares and flashbacks, and may experience
feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt.
• They may also have problems sleeping, such as insomnia, and find concentrating difficult.
• These symptoms are often severe and persistent enough to have a significant impact on the person's day-to-day life.
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Causes of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Any situation that a person finds traumatic can cause PTSD.
These can include:
• serious road accidents
• violent personal assaults, such as sexual assault, mugging or robbery
• serious health problems
• childbirth experiences
PTSD can develop immediately after someone experiences a disturbing event, or it can occur weeks, months or even
years later.
PTSD is estimated to affect about 1 in every 3 people who have a traumatic experience, but it's not clear exactly why
some people develop the condition and others do not.
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Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
People who repeatedly experience traumatic situations, such as severe neglect, abuse or violence, may be
diagnosed with complex PTSD.
Complex PTSD can cause similar symptoms to PTSD and may not develop until years after the event.
It's often more severe if the trauma was experienced early in life, as this can affect a child's development.
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Complex Trauma
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Types of Interpersonal Trauma
Attachment/ relational
Physical and sexual abuse
Emotional/ verbal/bullying
Interpersonal Trauma and Abuse
Neglect/ non-response Module 3 or protection
Sexual Abuse
Layered
Betrayal
Institutional
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Types of Interpersonal Trauma
Attachment/ relational
Physical and sexual abuse
Emotional/ verbal/bullying
Interpersonal Trauma and Abuse
Neglect/ non-response Module 3 or protection
Sexual Abuse
Layered
Betrayal
Institutional
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Struggle to regulate
emotions e.g. self
harm rage
Avoidance of reminders
and potential triggers
Somatic distress e.g.
Nausea, headaches,
unexplained health
conditions
Hyperarousal e.g. being
on the edge , tense,
irritable, insomnia
Altered attention an
consciousness e.g.
dissociation and
amnesia
Complex
Trauma
Symptoms
Difficulty in
relationships e.g.
withdrawal,
helplessness
Beliefs systems
affected e.g. loss of
faith, hope
Flashbacks
nightmares reexperiencing
trauma
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Complex trauma:
• is usually interpersonal i.e. occurs between people
• involves ‘being or feeling’ trapped
• is often planned, extreme, ongoing and/or repeated
• often has more severe, persistent and cumulative impacts
• involves challenges with shame, trust, self-esteem, identity and regulating emotions.
• has different coping strategies. These include alcohol and drug use, self-harm, over- or under-eating, over-work etc.
• affects emotional and physical health, wellbeing, relationships and daily functioning
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Complex Trauma in The
Counselling Room
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In the Counselling Room
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How trauma
presents its
self in the
counselling
room.
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