Trauma & PTSD
Therapy for trauma and PTSD on the Mornington Peninsula and via telehealth.
Trauma can change how you sleep, feel, relate to people and see the world. Therapy offers a steady, structured space to understand what’s happening and develop ways to manage it.
Who this may support
Is this for me?
Trauma therapy may help if you:
- Experienced a frightening, violent or life-threatening event, or witnessed one
- Carry the effects of repeated or long-term trauma, including in childhood
- Notice flashbacks, nightmares, being on edge, or avoiding reminders
- Feel numb, disconnected, irritable or not like yourself
- Have been told you might have PTSD, or wonder whether what you’re experiencing is “enough” to seek help
You don’t need a diagnosis to book. Many people start simply because something doesn’t feel right.
What therapy can help you explore
Things we might work on
Every person’s experience is different. Therapy can help you explore and work through things such as:
- Understanding trauma responses: why your body and mind react the way they do
- Managing intrusive memories, triggers and hypervigilance
- Sleep, anger, concentration and emotional numbness
- Guilt, shame and moral injury
- The impact of trauma on relationships, work and identity
- Complex trauma and long-standing patterns (including through Schema Therapy)
Karen’s approach
How Karen works
Karen’s work is trauma-informed: safety, trust, choice and collaboration come first. Early sessions focus on understanding your experience and building stability. You won’t be asked to go into detail about events before you’re ready.
Where appropriate, Karen uses evidence-based trauma-focused therapies such as EMDR, alongside Schema Therapy for complex or long-standing trauma.
What sessions involve
What sessions might look like
- Getting started: talking about what brings you in and what you’d like to change
- Stabilising: practical strategies for sleep, triggers and overwhelm
- Processing: when ready, carefully working through difficult memories and their meaning
- Moving forward: consolidating skills and reconnecting with the things that matter to you
Sessions are 50 minutes (EMDR sessions are usually 90 minutes) and can be in person or via telehealth. How many sessions people attend varies a lot, and you can review this with Karen at any time.
Why Tepper Psychology
Experience, with a human touch
Karen combines clinical training with experience in high-pressure environments, including Defence and military settings. Her style is calm, direct and practical, with no jargon and no pressure to “perform” in the room.
Therapy is paced to you, and you stay in control of what you share.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Can’t see your question? Get in touch. There’s no such thing as a silly one.
Do I have to talk about what happened?
Not straight away, and not in more detail than is helpful. Trauma therapy is carefully paced. Early sessions focus on safety and stability, and you decide what you’re ready to share.
Do I need a PTSD diagnosis?
No. You can book whether or not you have a diagnosis. Karen will talk with you about what you’re experiencing and what might help.
What if therapy didn’t work for me before?
That’s common, and worth talking about. Sometimes the approach or the fit wasn’t right. Karen will ask what helped and what didn’t, so you’re not repeating the same experience.
Related support
Other ways Karen can help
Many people come with more than one concern. These pages explain the other areas of support.
Veterans
For current and former ADF members navigating the effects of service, transition or life after Defence.
Couples
For couples wanting to communicate better, rebuild trust, or understand how stress and trauma are affecting the relationship.
Individual therapy
For anxiety, low mood, stress, relationship patterns and life changes, including Schema Therapy for long-standing patterns.
Telehealth
Secure video sessions from home or work, with the same care and structure as in person.
Take the next step
Ready to talk about the next step?
If you’re considering psychological support, you’re welcome to get in touch to talk about the next step. There’s no pressure and no obligation.