Service details

Before finding the TSC I was misdiagnosed, denied help and support, but at the same time I was being told I was unwell. My GP told me that I needed to be realistic as I was never going to receive the help that I needed. It all felt like I didn’t deserve to feel better, that I deserved what I had experienced. At times it felt hopeless. Most of the time just confusing and painful.

Then someone suggested I contact the Trauma Stress Clinic. I wasn’t hopeful, and initially I was told no. But I persevered and found myself on a lengthy waiting list, which seemed to take forever.

It’s hard to explain what working with the TSC has meant to me. It has been a difficult journey, and I still have a way to go. But I am finally questioning the conditioning of my childhood. I am questioning further bad treatment that I experience and am learning to stand up for myself. I find difficult situations easier to handle. I am starting to believe I have a future. But more than all of this I am starting to dare to believe that I have value in my own right, as me.

I had complex PTSD and dissociative amnesia (i.e. memory loss) due to experiencing ongoing Traumatic events for 27 years. I felt shattered and struggled with flashbacks, chaotic relationships, and suicidal thoughts. I had tried talking therapy before, but I constantly felt stuck and believed that my life was doomed — until I had my therapy at the Traumatic Stress Clinic (TSC).

I avoided my avoidant coping mechanism and showed up to every therapy session. My therapist was the most authentic person in my life; she walked her talk and went the extra mile. She believed in me before I could believe in myself and empowered me to feel whole again.

My experience at the TSC has been transformative and will remain memorable. While the number of sessions offered was limited, I used them wisely. We focused on a significant piece of work that helped me move forward in life.

Now, instead of merely enduring life, I embrace it… I am my own best friend.

Due to a series of unexpected challenges, including bereavement and homelessness, I often found myself wide awake for days at a time, trying to avoid vivid nightmares. I was constantly on high alert, leading me to rely on alcohol to self-medicate and dissociate. My stomach often felt unsettled, and the persistent flashbacks left me without the energy to do the things I enjoyed.

These experiences led me to distance myself from others, choosing isolation because I didn’t believe I would ever get the help I needed. Everything changed when I was accepted for treatment at the Traumatic Stress Clinic (TSC). Although terrified to start, since it meant facing my distressing thoughts and feelings, the transformation for me was like night and day.

I began to have thoughts that truly belonged to me and created new, meaningful experiences that enriched my life. I even started participating in activities I never imagined, like doing stand-up comedy. The community I found through the TSC helped me realise that many others like me had taken the leap of faith and begun their recovery journey.

Thanks to my treatment at the TSC, I’ve gained more confidence in my ability to cope. While I still face distressing thoughts at times, I now have the tools to navigate them without resorting to unhelpful coping mechanisms from the past.