At An Croí Beag we provide trauma informed Psychotherapy for individuals struggling with a wide range of difficulties. We will work with you in a way that is supportive and gentle. We recognise that all trauma whether it's big or small is in the eye of the beholder and we work from the stance that you are the expert of your experiences.

We will work with you in a way that is sensitive to trauma, reactions and triggers and which recognises the impact of trauma on the brain and body. Through collaboration and psychoeducation we will support you to understand your experiences and your responses to them, both positive and negative allowing for increased awareness, insight, compassion and change. We use a top down and bottom up approach to trauma therapy. This means that we recognise that the thoughts and beliefs we have about the world, others, and ourselves plays a significant role in how we feel. To address distorted thinking, unhelpful beliefs and coping mechisms we use cognitive approaches such a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. However in order to use or cognitive brains we first need to feel safe in our body and safe in the present moment. When we are in a trauma response our body is sending signals to our brain that we are not safe. Here is where the bottom up approach is key.

At An Croí Beag we use Somatic Experiencing, a body approach to trauma healing developed my Peter Levine. This approach works to support your body to feel safe in the here and now by orientating towards cues of safety. Once we feel safe, we can access reprocess traumatic and scary experiences, allowing them to be intergrated and reprocessed in the present. We no longer have to relive the past event as though it is happening now.

Below is a list of topics I regularly work with in my practice: