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Trauma and PTSD

Psychologists verified as HCPC-registered, specialising in evidence-based trauma therapy

Trauma needs the right kind of help. Every psychologist on this directory is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and offers NICE-recommended treatments for PTSD and trauma, including trauma-focused CBT and EMDR.

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Understanding trauma and PTSD

Many people who have lived through traumatic experiences carry the effects for years before recognising what’s happening. Trauma can come from a single overwhelming event — an assault, an accident, a sudden bereavement, a medical emergency — or from sustained experiences such as childhood abuse, domestic violence, or working in roles repeatedly exposed to danger or distress.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the formal diagnosis given when trauma symptoms persist for more than a month and significantly affect daily life. Around one in twenty UK adults experience PTSD at some point. Common signs include:

  • Flashbacks, intrusive memories, or feeling that the trauma is happening again
  • Nightmares, disturbed sleep, or difficulty falling asleep
  • Avoiding people, places or situations that remind you of the event
  • Feeling constantly on edge, easily startled, or watching for danger
  • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or feeling emotionally present
  • Physical symptoms with no clear medical cause — pain, tension, gastrointestinal problems
  • Feelings of guilt, shame, anger, or numbness that don’t shift over time


Some people develop complex PTSD (sometimes called C-PTSD) following prolonged or repeated trauma, often beginning in childhood. This can include the symptoms above alongside difficulties with self-image, emotional regulation, and trusting others.
PTSD is treatable, even years after the original event. Effective treatment exists at any stage — it is not too late to seek help.

Why HCPC registration matters for trauma work

Trauma is one of the areas of psychology where the difference between trained and untrained help is most consequential. Poorly-delivered trauma work can cause re-traumatisation: a person re-experiences the worst moments of their trauma without the structured framework needed to process them safely. This is well-documented in clinical literature and is the reason NICE guidance places such emphasis on trained, supervised practitioners.

HCPC-registered psychologists working with trauma have:

  • Doctoral or equivalent postgraduate training in psychological science
  • Specific training in trauma-focused interventions, typically including trauma-focused CBT or EMDR
  • A duty under HCPC standards to work within their scope of practice and recognise the limits of their competence
  • Ongoing supervision and continuing professional development requirements
  • Statutory accountability through HCPC’s Fitness to Practise process


In the UK, anyone can call themselves a ‘trauma therapist’ or ‘trauma coach’ without any formal qualification. There is no minimum standard, no required training, and no regulator. With trauma, the consequences of unregulated practice are not theoretical.

What evidence-based treatment looks like

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) sets out the recommended treatments for PTSD in NHS and private practice in the UK. The two main treatments for adults are:

Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT)

NICE’s first-line recommendation for adults with PTSD. Typically delivered over 8 to 12 sessions, sometimes more for people who have experienced multiple traumas. It involves processing trauma memories in a structured way, working with the meanings the trauma has taken on, and addressing related emotions including shame, guilt, loss and anger. It is delivered by trained practitioners with ongoing supervision.

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

NICE recommends considering EMDR for adults with PTSD who have presented more than three months after their trauma. EMDR uses a structured protocol with bilateral stimulation (such as guided eye movements) to help the brain process traumatic memories so they no longer carry the same emotional charge. Practitioners are trained to a standard set by EMDR UK and Ireland Association.

What treatment is not

NICE does not recommend single-session psychological debriefing immediately after a traumatic event. It also cautions against generic counselling or supportive listening as primary treatment for diagnosable PTSD, on the basis that this approach has limited evidence of effectiveness and may delay access to interventions that work.

Some psychologists also work with related, evidence-informed approaches — including narrative exposure therapy, cognitive processing therapy, and stabilisation-based approaches for complex trauma — usually in addition to or as a structured pathway towards trauma-focused work.

Who you'll find on this directory

HCPC-registered Clinical, Counselling and Health Psychologists who work with:

  • Single-incident trauma — accidents, assaults, medical events, bereavement
  • Combat and military trauma
  • Childhood abuse and developmental trauma
  • Domestic abuse and intimate partner violence
  • Birth trauma
  • Workplace trauma — emergency services, healthcare, journalism
  • Complex PTSD


Each profile shows the psychologist’s HCPC registration number, their specific trauma training (TF-CBT, EMDR, both), and their typical client focus.

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Common Questions

Trauma is the distressing event itself and how it affects you at the time. PTSD is a diagnosable condition that can develop afterwards, with ongoing symptoms like flashbacks, avoidance and feeling constantly on edge; these problems can often stay around longer than you would expect.
There is no right timing. Some people want support straight away, others need weeks or months before things settle into a pattern worth addressing. If it is affecting your daily life, it is worth reaching out.
Approaches like EMDR and trauma focused CBT move at a pace that you set with your psychologist. You are never expected to go into detail about what happened before you feel ready.
Yes. The body and mind can hold onto the impact of an event even when the memory itself is patchy or unclear and this is a normal response rather than a sign that something is wrong with your memory.
Complex PTSD can develop after repeated or prolonged difficult experiences rather than a single event; it often includes difficulties with emotional regulation and relationships alongside the more familiar PTSD symptoms.
Yes, many people access trauma therapy, including EMDR, successfully over video call, although some prefer in-person sessions; either option can be discussed with your psychologist.
No. Good trauma therapy does not require you to describe every detail of what happened and a skilled psychologist will work at a pace that keeps this manageable for you.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. Uses guided eye movements or other bilateral stimulation to help the brain process traumatic memories.
Adapts standard CBT specifically to trauma symptoms.
You might also find it helpful to look at our Eating Disorders and Trauma and PTSD pages, or browse our full directory of HCPC registered psychologists.
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