Taproot Psychology

A Trauma-Informed Approach to Building Safety First

If you're considering trauma therapy, you may have been told that you need to "talk about what happened" or "process the trauma" in order to heal. While that can be true, timing matters. Going too fast can feel overwhelming, unsafe, or even harmful—especially if your nervous system is already on high alert.

This is where CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) plays an important role.

At Taproot Psychology, we use CBT as a stabilisation phase, alongside relational work and trauma therapies such as EMDR. The aim is not to rush you into painful memories, but to help you feel safe enough—inside your body and your mind—to stay present when the time is right.

Trauma and the Nervous System

Trauma often leaves the nervous system stuck in survival mode. You may feel constantly on edge, emotionally numb, disconnected from your body, or exhausted from holding everything together. If trauma therapy begins while your system feels unsafe, it can increase dissociation, panic, or shutdown.

CBT helps us understand what overwhelms you, what soothes you, and what your system needs in order to feel grounded.

What Self-Care Really Means in Therapy

• Self-care in this work is not about being "good" or doing more. It's about learning how to:
• Prioritise your emotional and physical needs
• Speak to yourself with kindness rather than criticism
• Set boundaries and say no
• Make space for difficult emotions instead of pushing them away
• Ask for support
• End relationships or patterns that harm you

Many people struggle with self-care because no one ever taught them how. That's not a personal failing—it's a gap we can work on together.

CBT Without Pressure

Some clients come to therapy with difficult experiences of CBT, often involving rigid "homework" or feeling judged for not doing enough. We don't work that way.

At Taproot, we use CBT collaboratively, adapting it to you. Practices are invitations, not demands. If something doesn't work, we explore why with curiosity and compassion. Your comfort is our priority, and homework or activities are always tailored to meet your individual needs and learning style. You always have the choice to engage or not.

What is CBT?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. For example, if you struggle with feelings of inadequacy, it may stem from negative automatic thoughts. By identifying and challenging these thoughts, you can change how you perceive and interact with the world.

Key Principles of CBT at Taproot:

Recognising Negative Automatic Thoughts: Together, we help you identify instinctive thoughts that influence your emotions and actions.

Understanding Core Beliefs: We explore underlying beliefs that may be contributing to your struggles.

Facing Your Fears: You learn strategies to confront fears and phobias, using both cognitive and behavioural techniques to ease anxiety and distress.

How Formulation Helps You Heal

One of the key aspects of CBT at Taproot is formulation—a collaborative process that creates a personalised understanding of your challenges.

Here's how it works:
Your Story Matters: We gather information about your history, symptoms, and difficulties to understand how they affect you today.

Identifying Patterns: Together, we pinpoint patterns in your thinking and behaviour, helping you see how certain thoughts lead to specific feelings and actions.

Creating a Roadmap: This formulation serves as a guide for your therapy, helping us prioritise goals and choose the best interventions for you.

Why Formulation is Important:

Tailored Treatment: Personalised therapy increases the chances of successful outcomes

Gaining Insight: You gain valuable understanding of your struggles, empowering you to take control

Building Trust: This collaborative approach fosters a strong therapeutic alliance where you feel heard and understood

A Real Example

One client we worked with experienced frequent dissociation and felt disconnected from her body. Using CBT, we gently identified triggers and introduced grounding behaviours to help her feel safer in the present moment. Over time, as she practised these consistently, she noticed she dissociated less. Her body no longer needed to escape because it felt more supported.

This didn't happen overnight. It happened because safety came first.

The Effectiveness of CBT

Research shows that CBT is highly effective for a range of mental health issues, including anxiety disorders, depression, and PTSD. Many clients experience significant improvements in their symptoms, often reporting lasting benefits even after therapy ends. Its structured, time-limited nature makes it an appealing option if you're looking for tangible results.

A Trauma-Informed Approach at Taproot Psychology

At Taproot, we integrate trauma-informed principles into our CBT practice. While we might not directly focus on past traumas initially, we remain aware of how they can shape your current thoughts and behaviours.

Here's how we create a safe and supportive environment:
Safe Space: Your comfort is our priority. We tailor homework and activities to meet your individual needs, making sure you feel safe in therapy.

Personalised Homework: The tasks you receive are customised to fit your learning style and comfort level. You always have the choice to engage or not.

Empowerment: Our goal is to empower you to manage your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. By increasing your awareness of the mental patterns that can lead to difficulties, you can begin to initiate meaningful change.

Readiness is About Support, Not Strength

Being "ready" for trauma processing doesn't mean being fearless or symptom-free. It means having enough internal and external support to stay present, recover from emotional activation, and trust yourself.

CBT helps build that foundation.

If you've ever felt that therapy moved too fast, asked too much, or didn't consider how unsafe your body felt—you're not alone. Trauma therapy doesn't have to be rushed to be effective. In fact, going slowly is often what allows real healing to happen. You Don't Need to Force Yourself to Be Ready. We work towards readiness—together, at your pace.

At Taproot Psychology, we offer CBT and trauma therapy in Manchester and online across the UK, delivered by therapists working from a trauma-informed, compassionate perspective.

If you'd like to learn more about CBT therapy in Manchester or online in the UK, or to enquire about how we can support you, please visit our Contact Us page. You're welcome to ask questions, take your time, and decide what feels right for you.

You don't have to have everything figured out. Taking one careful step is enough.