The Meaden Clinic
PTSD and trauma
I'm Chris Meaden, a hypnotherapist and trauma therapist at The Meaden Clinic. I work with PTSD and trauma. The work sits inside The Meaden Method®, with clinical hypnotherapy, NLP and Havening Techniques®.
Rated 4.9 out of 5. 4.9 from 284 reviews
What PTSD is
It can start straight away, or years later.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic anxiety disorder. It can follow a highly stressful, traumatic, distressing or terrifying event, or more than one.
It can develop immediately. It can also start weeks, months, or years later.
A trauma can be encoded when there is a threat to life or safety, or when you feel trapped, unable to escape, or vulnerable. How you experience what is happening, how inescapable it feels, the event itself, and what it means to you, affect how strongly it is held.
Events people come with
What people ask about.
People come after different events. Symptoms vary from person to person, so the work is personalised.
Abuse, and neglect in childhood.
Physical, sexual, verbal or emotional abuse. Neglect in childhood.
Accidents, fire, and natural disasters.
Serious road traffic accidents. Being trapped in burning buildings. Natural disasters, including earthquakes, tsunamis and floods.
Crime, combat, and being held.
Violent crime, such as robbery or mugging. Witnessing violent crime and death. Terrorist attacks. Military combat. Being held hostage.
Suicide loss and complex grief.
People also come after a suicide loss, and with complex grief.
Symptoms
How it can affect everyday life.
PTSD can have a significant impact on everyday life. For many people, symptoms develop during the first month. For some, they appear several months or years after the event.
There can be long periods when symptoms are less noticeable, and other times when they worsen. For others, the symptoms feel constant. They vary from person to person.
Staying away from reminders.
A key symptom is trying to avoid being reminded of the traumatic event. That can mean avoiding places, people or triggers, or avoiding talking about what happened.
Distraction is common. People push the memory out of their mind, and keep busy with work, activities or hobbies.
Trying not to feel anything.
Some people suppress their emotions, so they do not feel anything at all. That is emotional numbing. It can lead to becoming withdrawn or isolated, and to stopping activities they used to enjoy.
Re-living it, without choosing to.
The most common experience after a traumatic event is involuntarily and vividly re-living it. That can be through nightmares, flashbacks, or distressing images or sensations. Pain, trembling and perspiring often come with it.
People also go over what happened, and whether they could have done something to stop it. That can bring guilt, blame, shame or fear.
Alert, and unable to switch off.
Anxious states, being unable to relax, and staying alert are common. People can feel jumpy or easily startled, and constantly aware of perceived threats.
That stress can lead to emotional outbursts, trouble sleeping, irritability, frustration, and difficulty concentrating.
Other difficulties that can come with it
Many people with PTSD also experience other problems. Panic attacks, depression, anxiety and phobias. Addictions such as drug misuse or alcohol misuse. Headaches, dizzy spells, chest pains, and stomach problems such as IBS.
PTSD often leads to problems at work, and to relationships breaking down. There is a separate page on compulsive behaviours and addictions.
How I work
Trauma therapy inside The Meaden Method®.
I am a hypnotherapist. Trauma therapy here sits inside The Meaden Method®. That is the name of how I put this work together. Clinical hypnotherapy is part of it. So are NLP and Havening Techniques®.
You can work content-free if you prefer. That means you do not have to talk in detail about what happened. You won't be asked to relive anything you don't need to.
Clinical hypnotherapy
Clinical hypnotherapy is part of The Meaden Method®. If we use hypnosis, you stay awake, aware and in control. We go at your pace.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming
NLP looks at how you think, the language you use, and the pattern that follows. I use it inside The Meaden Method®, with clinical hypnotherapy and Havening Techniques®.
Havening Techniques®
Havening Techniques® were created by Dr Ron Ruden. I am a Certified Havening Techniques® Practitioner, and I trained with him. I use Havening inside The Meaden Method® when it fits, including for PTSD and trauma.
A session with me
We talk first. You set the pace.
We start by talking. I want to understand what is happening, and what you would like to be different. The work is personalised. I use what fits, and I leave out what doesn't.
There is no set number of sessions. People differ. I will not promise a result, or a timescale.
- We start by talking.
- You can work content-free. You do not have to talk in detail about what happened.
- If we use hypnosis, you stay awake, aware and in control.
- The Meaden Method® is the plan. Hypnotherapy is part of it.
Video testimonials
PTSD video testimonials.
These are video testimonials about PTSD.
Sessions
Online, or in Tunbridge Wells.
Sessions are online, or in person in Tunbridge Wells. Online sessions are by video. There is a page on online hypnotherapy.
I work with adults, aged 16 and over. The consultation call is with me. If I am not the right hypnotherapist for you, I will say so.
This is not a substitute for medical or psychiatric care. Keep any care you already have in place.
Alongside the care you have
Hypnotherapy and trauma therapy sit alongside your medical care. They do not replace it.
- This is not a substitute for medical or psychiatric care.
- Keep any care you already have in place.
- I can't say how many sessions it will take until we have talked.
- The consultation call is with Chris.
Questions
Questions I get asked.
What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic anxiety disorder. It can follow a highly stressful, traumatic, distressing or terrifying event, or more than one. It can start straight away, or weeks, months or years later.
What kinds of events do people come with?
Abuse, which may be physical, sexual, verbal or emotional. Neglect in childhood. Serious road traffic accidents. Being trapped in burning buildings. Violent crime, such as robbery or mugging, and witnessing violent crime and death. Terrorist attacks, military combat, and being held hostage. Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis and floods. Suicide loss and complex grief.
How can PTSD show up?
It can have a significant impact on everyday life. Symptoms vary from person to person. They can include avoidance of reminders, keeping busy to push the memory away, emotional numbing, flashbacks, nightmares, and feeling on edge. Some people also have panic attacks, depression, anxiety, phobias, problems with drugs or alcohol, headaches, dizzy spells, chest pains, or stomach problems such as IBS. It can affect work and relationships. Symptoms may start in the first month, or months or years later. They can ease for a while and then worsen, or feel constant.
How do you work with PTSD and trauma?
I am a hypnotherapist and a trauma therapist at The Meaden Clinic. Trauma therapy here sits inside The Meaden Method®. I use clinical hypnotherapy, NLP and Havening Techniques®. Havening Techniques® were created by Dr Ron Ruden. I am a Certified Havening Techniques® Practitioner. The work is personalised. There is no set number of sessions, and I will not promise a result or a timescale.
Do I have to talk through what happened?
No. You can work content-free if you prefer. That means you do not have to talk in detail about what happened. You won't be asked to relive anything you don't need to. If we use hypnosis, you stay awake, aware and in control. We go at your pace.
Can sessions be online or in person?
Both. Sessions are online, or in person in Tunbridge Wells. Online sessions are by video.
How many sessions will it take?
I can't say until we have talked, and I won't guess. People differ. I can't guarantee a result, or a timescale.
Is this a substitute for medical care?
No. This is not a substitute for medical or psychiatric care. Keep any care you already have in place.
Who takes the consultation call?
The consultation call is with me, Chris. I work with adults, aged 16 and over. If I am not the right person for you, I will say so.
A first conversation
Book a consultation call
We can talk about what you want to change, and whether this work is a fit. The consultation call is with me. If I can't help, I will tell you.
This is not a substitute for medical or psychiatric care. The Meaden Method® is the name of how I put this work together. Havening Techniques® was created by Dr Ron Ruden.