What is Trauma-Informed Counselling and why should employers offer it?
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World Mental Health Day 2025: Why Access Matters
The theme for World Mental Health Day 2025 is “Access to Services – Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies.”
It highlights a global truth: psychological distress does not end when the crisis passes. Whether someone is affected directly by a disaster or indirectly through concern for family abroad, the emotional impact can carry into daily life and work.
Providing access to timely, trauma-informed counselling ensures that employees receive the support they need when they need it most. For UK employers, it represents both a moral and strategic commitment to wellbeing.
What Is Trauma-Informed Counselling and How Does It Work?
Trauma-informed counselling recognises that many people have lived through distressing or destabilising experiences such as bereavement, abuse, serious illness, or exposure to violence and catastrophe.
Rather than asking “What is wrong with you?”, trauma-informed practice asks “What has happened to you?”
This approach focuses on five core principles: safety, trust, choice, collaboration, and empowerment.
Counselling sessions provide a safe and confidential environment for individuals to process experiences, rebuild confidence, and develop coping strategies without fear of judgement or re-traumatisation.
Who Can Trauma-Informed Counselling Help?
Trauma-informed counselling supports anyone experiencing ongoing effects of distress, even without a formal diagnosis. This includes:
Employees whose families are affected by global crises or natural disasters.
Frontline or caring professionals exposed to secondary trauma.
Staff recovering from bereavement, workplace conflict, redundancy, or burnout.
Individuals seeking stability after long-term stress or health challenges.
The goal is to restore a sense of safety and control, helping individuals reconnect with work and daily life.
Why Should Employers Offer Trauma-Informed Support at Work?
Trauma-informed counselling is an evidence-based method to reduce this impact and support both employee and organisational resilience.
Benefits include:
Reduced absence and turnover: Early support prevents long-term sickness and disengagement.
Improved psychological safety: Staff feel able to speak openly about distress.
Enhanced productivity and morale: Compassionate environments encourage trust and collaboration.
Legal and ethical compliance: Aligns with the Equality Act 2010, HSE Management Standards, and ISO 45003 on psychological health and safety.
By embedding trauma-informed practices into wellbeing strategies, employers not only meet their duty of care but also foster a culture of empathy and inclusion.
How Does Trauma-Informed Counselling Help Employees Recover?
Trauma-sensitive interventions, supported by guidance from bodies like the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) are shown to improve coping skills, reduce anxiety and depression, and foster sustainable recovery by creating a safe and compassionate environment for individuals with trauma histories. These approaches help prevent re-traumatisation and build on client strengths, leading to positive impacts on overall mental health and wellbeing.
Employees who access trauma-informed counselling often report:
Feeling safe, validated, and understood.
Learning effective tools for emotional regulation and stress management.
Rebuilding focus, confidence, and resilience at work.
Early intervention can stop temporary distress from becoming chronic, protecting both individual wellbeing and long-term performance.
How OH One Delivers Trauma-Informed Counselling
At OH One, our team of over 25 psychotherapists and occupational psychologists deliver trauma-informed counselling as part of our accredited workplace health and wellbeing solutions.
We prioritise accessibility and inclusion, ensuring that every individual, regardless of culture, language, disability, or neurodivergence, can access support that feels safe, respectful, and relevant to their experience.
Sessions are confidential, flexible, and designed to remove barriers to care, so help is available without waiting lists or stigma.
At OH One, we are a BACP-accredited counselling service that has supported over 1,000 organisations across the UK with tailored mental health interventions. Our trauma-informed counselling offers a safe, confidential space for employees to recover, rebuild, and thrive at work.
Get in Touch
If your organisation would like to explore trauma-informed counselling or develop a broader workplace mental health strategy, OH One can help. Lear more about our counselling services or get in touch for a free no-commitment chat to find out how your organisation can benefit.