Who I work with
People carrying the impact of difficult past experiences
Sometimes what is happening now is connected to experiences from earlier in life — difficult family relationships, criticism, instability, bullying, coercive relationships or other experiences that shaped how you learned to see yourself and respond to others.
You do not need to describe these experiences as 'trauma' before seeking support.
Saturdays: In person in Blackburn · Wednesdays & Thursdays: Telehealth, including after hours
What you may notice now
- Overthinking and second-guessing yourself
- A persistent sense of not being good enough
- Difficulty trusting people, or trusting too quickly
- Strong reactions that feel out of proportion afterwards
- Difficulty knowing or saying what you need
- Patterns in relationships that keep repeating
- Feeling responsible for other people's feelings
- Keeping busy so you do not have to sit with things
Sometimes there is more underneath
Ways of coping that once helped you manage a difficult relationship, an unpredictable home or a demanding environment can continue long after the situation has changed. They made sense then. They can be costly now.
This does not mean every difficulty is caused by the past. Some things are about the situation you are in right now. Part of the work is simply getting clearer about which is which.
How therapy tends to work
We go at a pace you can manage. You do not need to tell the whole story, or any of it, before we can start working usefully.
Early on we focus on understanding the pattern and what keeps it going, and on practical ways to steady things day to day. Over time, and only if it is useful, we can look more closely at earlier experiences and what you came to believe about yourself because of them.
Where specific treatment for post-traumatic stress is appropriate, we can talk about that as an option.
Luma Psychology is an outpatient private psychology service for adults aged 18 and over. It is not a crisis service. If you need urgent support, please call 000 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Young people aged 15–17 are also welcome to enquire; each request is considered individually. If you are aged 15–17, or enquiring on behalf of someone in this age group, please book a free 15-minute phone consultation with Della to discuss whether Luma Psychology is a suitable fit.
Wondering whether this might be a fit?
You don’t need to know exactly what you need before getting in touch. Tell me a little about what you’re looking for and I’ll contact you about the next step.
Want to talk first? You are welcome to to ask a couple of questions.