Our Trauma-Focused Team

Understanding & Addressing Trauma

Navigating the mental healthcare system as a neurodivergent individual can be challenging, especially when also dealing with the effects of past trauma. Trauma-focused therapy is a specialised approach that can be enormously beneficial, but it’s important to find a therapist who understands the unique needs of neurodivergent clients.

Neurodivergence, which encompasses conditions like autism, ADHD, and other neurological differences, often involves distinct cognitive processing, communication styles, and sensory experiences. This can profoundly impact how trauma is experienced and expressed. Neurodivergent individuals may struggle with issues like emotion dysregulation, hypersensitivity, and difficulties forming trusting relationships – all of which are central to the trauma healing process.

Trauma-focused therapists at NeuroTribe tailor their approach to meet your specific needs. This could include:

  • Utilising structured, predictable session formats

  • Suggesting sensory accommodations like fidget toys or lighting adjustments

  • Pacing the exploration of traumatic memories at a gradual, comfortable rate

  • Emphasising clear communication of boundaries and treatment plans

  • Incorporating modalities like EMDR, somatic therapy, or art/music therapy

Working Through Intergenerational Trauma

Our Trauma-Focused Team comes from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds, with both lived and professional experience, and extensive training in racial and cultural marginalisation. This uniquely equips us to provide support for working through racialised and intergenerational trauma.

Intergenerational trauma, or transgenerational trauma, refers to psychological and emotional effects passed down from one generation to the next. This occurs when trauma experienced by an individual or group isn’t adequately addressed or resolved, embedding its effects within the family or community, and manifesting in future generations. Such trauma can stem from events like wars, genocides, abuse, oppression, or other deeply impactful experiences.

We believe that safe and effective work in this area requires more than basic cultural competency. It demands lived experience, ongoing CPD led by diverse practitioners, and a commitment to examining how our privileges and social positioning influence each therapeutic relationship. We understand that traditional therapies are rooted in a Western-centric, colonised education system and require adaptation to serve global majority and white minoritised people effectively, addressing inherent racial and class biases.

For our clients, it’s crucial to understand how race, culture, social status, and neurodivergence intersect to create unique challenges within the UK context.

Our therapists, internally supervised by clinical supervisors from racially and culturally minoritised backgrounds, use somatic, creative, and narrative methods to support a holistic, embodied approach to the relationship between the mind, body, and soul, and the healing of intergenerational trauma.

We can provide therapy in Romanian and Polish, therapy with an Afro-Caribbean-centric somatic approach, and therapists who have lived experience and passion for the mental well-being of the Jewish diaspora and people seeking refuge from wars and conflicts.

Our Trauma-Focused Practitioners

Kyra Hall-Gelly, psychotherapist

Kyra Hall-Gelly

MBACP

Special Interests: Individual & Community Empowerment, Social Justice, Activism, Radical Self-Care, Parent-carer experiences (neurodiversity-related and racialised experiences), the arts in mental health

Kyra is a BACP registered integrative counsellor using art therapy, a lecturer in Counselling & Psychotherapy at Kingston College, London, and a former member of the Croydon SEND Parent Forum Steering Group.

She has worked with vulnerable children and young people for over 15 years in schools, pupil referral units, youth groups, colleges, social enterprises and youth arts projects as a youth worker, welfare and enrichment department head, and mental health worker.

She is a member of the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy), has a PG Cert. in Counselling, an Advanced Diploma in the Therapeutic Application of the Arts, and a Level 7 Diploma in Supervision.

Jan Hall

MBACP, HCPC

Special Interests: Anxiety Disorders, Parent & Child Therapy, Clinical Supervision

Jan is an attachment-based art psychotherapist with many years’ experience in varied mental health and educational settings, both mainstream and alternative. Jan specialises in parent-child dyadic work as well as supporting individuals struggling with mood and anxiety disorders, depression, life transitions, relationship breakdowns, and bereavement, through therapy.

Jan also provides online and face-to-face Clinical Supervision for professionals working with children with SEND and SEBD.

She is HCPC registered, a member of the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy)The professional association for members of the counselling and psychotherapy professions in the UK., and has an MA in Arts Psychotherapy.

Marissa Green

MA HCPC BADth

Special Interests: Diversity and Marginalisation, Mental Health, Behavioural Challenges

Marissa Green is a qualified professional specialising in dramatherapy, mental health, and Autism Spectrum Conditions.

With experience in diverse settings, including education and Higher Education, the NHS, and mental health recovery, Marissa brings a wealth of expertise to her work.

As an Autism Specialist Practitioner trained in Adapted Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Marissa excels in supporting neurodivergent clients. She tailors her approach to meet their specific needs, incorporating visual aids, adapting activities, and addressing sensory requirements.
In addition to her clinical work, Marissa is actively involved in lecturing on dramatherapy. She also contributes to the academic field through her publications, focusing on topics such as diversity, disability, and marginalisation within the Jewish community and communities of colour.

Marissa’s commitment to actively inclusive practice is paramount. With a non-judgemental stance, she creates a safe and supportive environment for her clients, valuing their uniqueness and tailoring interventions accordingly. Marissa’s ethical approach, combined with her extensive knowledge and experience, allows her to provide compassionate and effective support to individuals seeking help with their mental health and well-being.

Qetnefert Khema Netri Jeffers

HCPC, BADth

Special Interests: Problem Substance Use in Children, Young People & Adults, Autism, Hearing Impairments, Learning Disabilities, Developmental Delays, Language Disorders & Trauma

Qetnefert is a HCPC and BADth registered Dramatherapist. She has worked extensively in education primary, secondary, pupil referral units, children’s services, community drugs agencies, therapeutic communities and the criminal justice system.

Qetnefert specializes in using drama therapy and creative arts with children, young people and families in the neurodivergent community, who are experiencing addictions, trauma and marginalization. She speaks British Sign Language to level 1 and holds a certificate in Deaf Awareness. She also uses Makaton. Qetnefert can provide therapy with a BSL interpreter present.

Georgie Calinescu Barber

MBACP Psychotherapist

Special Interests: Attachment, Trauma, Empowerment, Nature-Based Therapy, Psychoeducation, Gender Identity, Neurodiversity, Multiculturalism & Birth Psychology

Georgie is a BACP registered Integrative Psychotherapist with over 17 years of experience in both state and private practice and international settings.

Specialising in working with both children and adults, as well as other professionals, Georgie employs a holistic approach that blends various therapeutic techniques to cater to the unique needs of each client. Her approach to therapy is informed by a variety of theoretical orientations and evidence-based practices.

Georgie holds a Double Degree in Psychology and Social Work and a Master’s Degree in Psychotherapy and has undergone extensive training in various therapeutic modalities. She is also a qualified Doula.

Roksana Paciepnik

MBACP, UKCP, MSc, MA

Special Interests: ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, (Transgenerational) Trauma, Relationships, Work Stress, Anxiety & Panic Attacks

Roksana is a psychotherapist with over ten years of experience in private practice and as an EAP counsellor. Before her career in therapy, she taught in special needs schools across London, where she honed her skills in supporting diverse individuals.
She employs various techniques, such as solution-focused therapy, humour, mindfulness, psychoeducation, and EMDR, to assist clients in realising their strengths and limitations and creating useful coping mechanisms.

Roksana is a neurodivergent therapist (Dyslexia) and understands the everyday challenges firsthand. She is an accredited member of the BACP and the UKCP. She holds an MSc in Transaction Analysis in Psychotherapy and an MA in Sport Management.

Tailored Trauma-Focused Therapy

Our aim is to create a safe, empowering space where you can address the impacts of trauma while also honouring your neurological differences. With the right support, neurodivergent individuals can find healing, growth, and an improved quality of life. Our therapists have both lived and professional experience working with neurodivergent clients and utilise the following trauma-focused therapy techniques, which can be particularly effective for neurodivergent individuals:

EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a trauma-focused therapy that uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or tapping, to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories. This method can be particularly beneficial for neurodivergent clients due to its structured and sensory-based approach. The predictability and pacing of EMDR sessions help manage feelings of overwhelm, making the process more manageable and less daunting.

ACT Therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a cognitive-behavioural therapy that focuses on increasing psychological flexibility. It encourages clients to acknowledge and accept difficult thoughts and feelings rather than attempting to control or eliminate them. Through techniques such as cognitive defusion, mindfulness, and values-based actions, ACT helps clients engage with the present moment and pursue meaningful life activities, even when facing trauma or challenging personal experiences.

Art Therapy

Art Therapy involves creative interventions using art materials, musical instruments, and sensory tools like weighted blankets or fidget toys. This approach helps neurodivergent clients self-regulate and stay grounded during trauma processing. By catering to their unique sensory needs, Art Therapy allows clients to express themselves non-verbally, providing an alternative and often soothing way to process difficult emotions and memories.

Trauma-Informed CBT

Trauma-Informed Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an adaptation of traditional CBT, specifically designed to address trauma-related issues. It helps neurodivergent clients identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns that are connected to their traumatic experiences. By focusing on the unique challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals, this approach supports clients in developing healthier thought patterns and coping mechanisms, leading to improved emotional resilience.

Get in Touch Today

With the right trauma-informed support that honours your neurodivergence, healing and growth are possible. The journey may require patience and persistence, but you deserve care that empowers you.