Trauma Focused CBT: questions to explore in an assessment.

Specialist CBT therapy for anxiety, OCD, depression and more in West London

Trauma focused CBT ideas may be discussed when someone has experienced distressing events or is concerned about changes in mood, sleep, concentration, relationships or daily life after an event. People can respond to difficult experiences in many different ways. A webpage cannot diagnose PTSD or another condition, explain the cause of someone’s symptoms or determine whether trauma focused work is suitable for an individual. An assessment is where the conversation becomes specific. It can explore what is happening now, current safety, relevant health information, medication, sleep, support networks, personal history, practical pressures and the person’s own priorities. The purpose is not to ask someone to tell their full story immediately or to decide in advance which technique they should use. It is to develop a shared understanding of what feels difficult and what kind of support may be appropriate. Trauma can affect thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, routines and relationships. Someone may notice memories, nightmares, alertness, avoidance, numbness, guilt, anger or changes in trust. Others may have different experiences. These examples are not a checklist, a diagnosis or a prediction. A clinician can discuss the context and impact of experiences without assuming that one response is the same as another. Where trauma focused CBT ideas are relevant, the conversation may include how someone manages distress in the present, what helps them feel safer, the situations that have become difficult and the beliefs or meanings that have developed around an event. Grounding, pacing, routine support or other practical strategies may be discussed. No self directed exposure, memory processing or trauma narrative exercise should be undertaken from a webpage. Any therapeutic work needs individual clinical judgement, consent and ongoing review. It is also important not to assume that revisiting memories is automatically the next step, or that avoiding detail is a sign of failure. The pace, focus and suitability of any work should be agreed individually. If an approach feels too intense, unsafe or unhelpful, that is important information for the conversation. It can inform a review of the plan rather than becoming something a person has to push through alone. Trauma focused CBT may be considered alongside other CBT informed support where appropriate. Research and clinical guidance can inform a discussion, but findings from groups of people cannot identify the best approach, duration or likely outcome for one individual. Sanah Younis is a BABCP accredited CBT therapist. Her role is to offer professional training and a collaborative assessment, while the person seeking support remains the expert on their experience, context and priorities. The Lyceum Clinic offers online appointments and face to face arrangements that can be discussed in Chiswick, Ealing and the Richmond venue. Published fees are £110 for an online CBT session and £140 for a face to face CBT session. An initial conversation can be used to ask practical questions, check current availability and decide whether a fuller assessment would be useful. It does not commit you to trauma focused CBT, a fixed duration or a particular outcome. If you are in immediate danger or need urgent support, use an appropriate emergency or urgent service rather than relying on an approach page. This information is intended to support a considered conversation about trauma focused CBT. It is not a diagnosis, a personal treatment recommendation or a substitute for individual assessment.