The treatment may be over, but you might not feel that it is behind you.

Perhaps people are telling you how well you have recovered, or how pleased you must be that everything is now “fine”. Meanwhile, you feel frightened, angry, unsettled or unlike yourself.

You may be grateful for the care you received and still feel deeply affected by what happened. There is room for both.

I offer medical trauma counselling online and in person in Glastonbury, Somerset, providing space to make sense of your experience and how it is affecting you now.

Does any of this sound familiar?

• Memories of an illness, procedure or hospital stay return when you least expect them.

• You feel panicky before appointments or avoid healthcare altogether.

• Hospital smells, sounds or particular places bring back distressing feelings.

• You struggle to sleep, feel constantly on edge or find it difficult to relax.

• You feel disconnected, numb or overwhelmed by emotions.

• You are angry about what happened, or feel that nobody really listened.

• You worry about going through something similar again.

Or perhaps it is healthcare itself that feels frightening. Booking an appointment, having a blood test or walking into a hospital can leave you feeling overwhelmed.

These worries can take up a surprising amount of your time and energy. You may know that the anxiety feels out of proportion, but knowing that does not make it easy to switch off.

I offer a calm, understanding space to talk about what is happening and find ways to make it more manageable.

You do not need a diagnosis, or to be at a crisis point, to ask for support. If these worries are affecting your life, that is enough.

What is Medical Trauma

Medical trauma describes the lasting emotional impact of a frightening or overwhelming healthcare experience.

This might follow a serious illness, emergency treatment, surgery, intensive care or a difficult birth. It can also relate to painful procedures, repeated treatment or experiences in which you felt powerless, unheard or unsure what was happening.

Sometimes there is one particular event. Sometimes distress builds over a series of experiences.

What matters in counselling is how it affected you. You do not have to prove that it was “bad enough” or compare it with what somebody else has been through.

When someone you love has been unwell

Watching someone close to you go through a medical emergency or frightening treatment can also leave you struggling.

You may have spent a long time holding everything together, dealing with uncertainty and putting your own feelings aside. When the immediate crisis passes, there may finally be space to notice how much you have been carrying. Counselling offers time to talk about your experience.

How medical trauma can affect everyday life

A difficult medical experience can change how safe you feel in your body and how much you trust healthcare.

You might find yourself watching closely for signs that something is wrong, seeking reassurance or dreading the next appointment. If treatment is ongoing, you may feel you have little chance to catch your breath.

There can also be grief: for your health, independence, confidence or the life you expected to have.

Counselling is not about persuading you that everything is fine. It is about understanding what you have been through and finding ways to make life feel more manageable. If worries about symptoms or future healthcare are also part of your experience, you can read more about medical and health anxiety.

How I can help

My approach is person-centred. Your experience, needs and priorities guide our work.

Together, we might explore:

• What feels most difficult about what happened.

• Feelings such as fear, anger, grief, guilt or helplessness.

• What brings distressing memories or feelings to the surface.

• Practical ways to feel more settled when you become overwhelmed.

• What would help you feel heard and more in control at appointments.

• How to rebuild confidence and make room for everyday life.

You choose what you share. There is no expectation that you will describe everything in your first session or arrive knowing exactly what you need.

A counsellor with a nursing background

I am Mara Fraser, an accredited counsellor and registered nurse.

My nursing background gives me an understanding of healthcare settings and how vulnerable people can feel within them. As a counsellor, I offer space for the emotional impact: the fear, uncertainty, loss of control and feelings that can be difficult to explain to other people.

You do not need to minimise how you feel or worry about being seen as difficult.

Counselling supports the emotional side of health worries and healthcare experiences. It does not replace medical assessment or treatment

Rewind therapy

Where a particular distressing memory is part of the difficulty, we can discuss whether Rewind therapy might be suitable.

This is an approach I offer that does not require you to describe the event to me in detail. We would explore what it involves, its limitations and whether it fits your needs before deciding together.

If you need a different or more specialist form of trauma support, we can discuss that too.

Medical trauma and PTSD

Some people develop post-traumatic stress disorder following a traumatic medical experience, but medical trauma does not automatically mean PTSD. You do not need a PTSD diagnosis to seek counselling. Where symptoms suggest that specialist assessment or treatment would be helpful, we can talk about appropriate support.

What to expect

You are welcome to begin with a free 15-minute introductory call. This gives you a chance to tell me a little about what you are looking for, ask questions and see how you feel about working with me.

Counselling sessions last 60 minutes and cost £55. I offer appointments online and in-person in Glastonbury, Somerset.

You do not need to prepare anything or have the right words. We can start wherever you are. Ask about my waiting list.