Need Help Dealing With Trauma?

Experiencing trauma can have a huge impact on your life; but it doesn't have to lead to lifelong difficulties. DR SANVEEN KANG is Founder and Principal Clinical Psychologist at Psych Connect; she talks us through an innovative new therapy programme they've developed to help people work through their trauma for a better tomorrow.

- GEORGINA HOCKLEY

What is a traumatic experience, and how can it affect a person's life?

A traumatic experience happens where one's internal and external resources become inadequate in dealing with a threat or a series of threats. In essence, it shatters the individual's sense of control, connection and meaning in life. Trauma creates a heightened sense of mortality and vulnerability. It evokes an overwhelming experience which inspires helplessness and terror due to a fight/flight/freeze/collapse response.

Why did you develop the Connected Self trauma programme?

Connected Self is a specialised practice and therapy framework entailing the assessment and treatment of children, individuals and families who have experienced and survived trauma and loss.

The programme was conceptualised in collaboration with our therapy lead Mr Parandaman after reflecting on two main ideas: how trauma is conceptualised, and how it's treated. For a long time, the understanding of trauma by sufferers and clinicians alike was focused on and limited to PTSD. Expanding our knowledge through more current research on different types of traumas, such as adverse childhood experiences (ACES) or the impact of sensory processing and interpersonal stress for neurodivergent individuals, allowed us to be more attuned and sensitive to our clients' needs.