Deepti Ramaswamy
Individual Therapy
Trauma-focused psychotherapy & EMDR
“Who are we but the stories we tell ourselves, about ourselves, and believe?”
— Scott Turow
I offer trauma-focused psychotherapy and EMDR therapy for people seeking thoughtful, in-depth support with trauma, PTSD, complex trauma, stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, dissociation, and long-standing emotional patterns.
Many of the people I work with are capable, reflective individuals whose lives look functional from the outside — yet internally they may feel overwhelmed, disconnected, exhausted, or quietly stuck. Often there is a sense that the past is still shaping the present in ways that no longer feel helpful or chosen.
I work with adults from a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences — including people who have grown up across more than one culture or country, those of mixed heritage navigating questions of belonging and identity, people living or working internationally, and those in roles that carry significant emotional or moral weight.
Many of these clients are, in some sense, a kaleidoscope — shaped by multiple geographies, cultures, religions, languages, and class experiences, often in ways that don't resolve into a single, settled sense of who they are or where they belong. For many, the question of which story to tell about yourself — and who gets to tell it — is itself part of what brings them to therapy.
My work is grounded in curiosity, kindness, compassion, honesty, and collaboration.
How trauma and distress often show up
People don’t always recognise their difficulties as “trauma”.
More often, they come because something in their inner world or daily life feels increasingly hard to carry and live with.
You might recognise some of these experiences:
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anger or emotional reactivity
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guilt and shame
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panic attacks or sudden surges of fear
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ongoing anxiety or chronic worry
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low mood or depression
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dissociation or a sense of being disconnected from yourself
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self-harm or harmful coping strategies
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substance use or misuse
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exhaustion, burnout, or a loss of meaning in work that once felt important
These responses are not personal failings. They are often the nervous system’s attempts to survive overwhelming or unresolved experiences. Part of the work is helping the mind and body discover safer, more sustainable ways of responding.
How I Work
My approach is trauma-informed, relational, and collaborative — grounded in both clinical practice and psychological research.
I work carefully, at a pace shaped by your history and your nervous system, attending to how past experiences continue to live in the present. This may include EMDR therapy alongside talking therapy and other integrative trauma-focused approaches, depending on what feels most supportive for you.
The work follows a natural arc:
The story so far
We begin by working out how you got to be the way you are, and how you learnt to cope. We look at your life holistically, attending to the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects that contributed to your difficulties.
This includes recognising what you need to hold on to, and what you can begin to let go of — and building skills to manage daily challenges, creating breathing space for the deeper work ahead.
The story edit
Here we work to change the story you are telling yourself — letting go of patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that no longer serve you.
We aim to connect with and release what is holding you back at cognitive, emotional, and bodily levels, healing those elements so that you can begin to reconnect with your authentic, honest, compassionate self.
The next chapter
This is where we begin to plan for the future. You have done the hard work and let go of what no longer serves you.
Now we look at how you can move forward — to live the life you want to create for yourself.
Who do you want to be? What is important to you? What story do you want to tell about yourself — and believe?
Working Format
I offer flexible formats depending on what suits your life and the stage of work you are in.
Ongoing therapy typically takes place weekly or fortnightly, in standard sessions of 55 minutes, extended sessions of 90 minutes or two hours.
EMDR intensives involve multiple sessions over a concentrated period — for example, several sessions in one day or across a single week. This can be particularly helpful for trauma processing, significant life transitions, or when weekly therapy is not practical given where you live or how you work.
We decide together which format best supports your nervous system, your circumstances, and what you are working on.
My Training & Therapeutic Approaches
My clinical work focuses on trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, PTSD treatment, and integrative psychotherapy for the many ways trauma and adversity shape emotional and relational life.
EMDR Therapy
I work with PTSD, complex trauma, anxiety, depression, disordered eating and sleep, I am an accredited EMDR Therapist and Consultant. I work with PTSD, complex trauma, anxiety, depression, dissociation, disordered eating and sleep, self-harm, and relational difficulties.
My training includes attachment-informed EMDR, Polyvagal-informed EMDR, and approaches such as the Flash Technique and Silent Memories protocol for working with sensitive or shame-filled experiences without requiring verbal disclosure.
Deep Brain Orienting
An emerging trauma therapy that works with the brain’s instinctive shock response and supports deep physiological healing and regulation.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) & Integrative Therapies
With an MSc in CBT, I draw on evidence-based approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy and Schema Therapy, adapting the work to each individual.
Dissociation & Parts Work (Internal Family Systems influenced)
I have a special interest in dissociation and support clients in safely connecting with and integrating different parts of themselves. This includes an interest in working with people who present with difficulties related the mind/body link such as Functional Neurological Disorder (FND).
At the heart of my work is the belief that healing involves the mind, body, and nervous system, and that lasting change emerges when all three are gently supported.
Experience & Research
I have worked across NHS services including eating disorders, CAMHS, community and forensic services, a specialist Veterans' Complex Treatment Service, and services for survivors of torture.
Internationally, I have worked in Iraq, Syria, Myanmar, and India, providing therapy, supervision, and training in contexts shaped by conflict, displacement, and prolonged adversity. This experience informs the depth and range of what I bring to clinical work, particularly with clients whose lives have been shaped by complex, cross-cultural, or politically difficult circumstances.
Alongside my clinical work, I have recently completed doctoral research exploring the role of trauma, narrative, and psychological recovery in supporting people to disengage from harmful behaviours and reintegrate into communities. I am curious about what this teaches us about healing more broadly.
If you would like to explore working together, you are welcome to get in touch for an initial conversation to see whether my work feels like a good fit for you.