Trauma-informed care in practice

Often, clinicians see clients with physical and mental health problems that don’t seem to respond to treatment as expected. For example, many clients with depressive symptoms engage well, attend consistently, and apply strategies - yet improvement remains limited or short-lived. Assuming that this pattern represents resistance or lack of motivation can be limiting and does not offer solutions. However, when we view these responses as nervous-system driven adaptations, we can meet clients where they truly are, and encourage increased insight, self-compassion and understanding.

Trauma and chronic stress can shape the way the nervous system responds to safety, threat, connection, and new experiences. Change can be perceived as threatening, even if it is a move toward more adaptive ways of functioning. When this is the case, symptoms such as low mood, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, relational difficulties, somatic complaints, or shutdown may persist despite standard interventions.

A trauma-informed lens may be helpful when a client presents with:

• Strong insight but limited emotional shift

• Difficulty tolerating emotions or bodily sensations

• Recurrent relational difficulties despite motivation for change

• Heightened startle response, dissociation, or emotional numbing

• Cyclical engagement followed by withdrawal from therapy.

Trauma-informed therapy prioritises:

• Stabilisation and nervous system regulation

• Careful pacing and attention to safety

• Integration of emotional, cognitive, and somatic experience

• A relational approach that supports attachment repair

Trauma-competent frameworks are integrated into evidence-based psychological interventions, improving effectiveness for clients who have lived with chronic stress and trauma.

Gemstone Psychology offers trauma-informed psychological therapy. Our clinicians work within a relational, paced, and client-led framework, with close clinical mentorship and a strong emphasis on safety and sustainability in treatment.

If you would like to discuss whether a trauma-informed approach may be appropriate for a particular referral, we welcome enquiries.

Referrals: referrals@gemstonepsychology.com.au

Appointments available in-person at our Innisfail office or by telehealth Australia-wide.

Warm regards,

Jenna Kenwright

Director | Psychologist

Gemstone Psychology