The Many Faces of Trauma
A 16-Week Trauma-Informed Programme for Emotional Healing and Growth
Duration:
Delivery:
16 Weeks
In person, weekly 3-hour sessions
Group Size:
Cost:
Maximum 10-12
prisoners
£250 per session (equivalent to
£31.25 per person)
Facilitator:
Breaking Through Emotional Walls
About the Programme
Many Faces of Trauma is a trauma-informed, psychotherapeutic group programme designed to support people in custody with emotional healing, regulation, and personal growth.
Delivered over 16 weeks in weekly 3-hour sessions, the programme combines psychoeducation, body-based practices, creative reflection, and sensory regulation tools. It creates a calm and supportive environment where participants can begin to understand the roots of their behaviour, reconnect with themselves, and explore healthier ways of coping..
Why this Programme Matter
Many people in prison carry deep emotional wounds, often unspoken, often unrecognised. These early experiences of trauma, neglect, or chaos can lead to patterns of anger, shame, disconnection, or self-protection that impact relationships, behaviour, and rehabilitation.
Our programme offers a space to unpack that history safely. Through understanding trauma, not as an excuse, but as context prisoners are supported to move out of survival mode and into self-awareness, regulation, and meaningful change.
Whats Included
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Personal workbooks
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Sensory tools and grounding items
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Auricular acupuncture (NADA protocol)
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Weekly themes with creative reflection
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Support for emotion regulation and safe connection
What the Programme Offers
This 16-week programme is designed to support people in prison to gently explore the roots of their behaviour, build emotional insight, and reconnect with parts of themselves that may have been silenced by trauma or survival.
Each theme is approached with compassion and safety, offering prisoners the tools to regulate, reflect, and relate in new ways. Through a blend of psychoeducation, somatic practices, creative reflection, and peer support, the group becomes a space where healing becomes possible—even behind bars.
Understanding trauma and survival responses
Prisoners explore what trauma is and how it shapes thoughts, emotions, and behaviour. We look at trauma not as an excuse, but as a survival story, making sense of hypervigilance, shutdown, and reactivity through a compassionate lens.
Developmental wounds and relational patterns
Prisoners are guided to reflect on early relationships and unmet needs. This helps explain patterns of mistrust, avoidance, or people-pleasing, creating space for new ways of relating to others and to themselves.
Addiction as coping
This session looks at how addictive behaviours are often attempts to soothe or escape emotional pain. Participants explore alternative strategies to manage distress, without shame or blame.
Emotional literacy, regulation, and reflection
We support prisoners to recognise, name, and regulate their emotions. Through breathwork, somatic tools, and reflection, they learn to shift from reaction to awareness, building their emotional “toolbox” along the way.
Parts of the self and protective roles
We explore the concept of “parts” — the inner protectors, masks, and roles we adopt to survive. Through parts work, individuals begin to recognise these roles with compassion, without shame or judgement.
Exploring Vulnerability as Strength
Prisoners are invited to experience vulnerability as a form of courage. Group safety, connection, and co-regulation support them in taking relational risks and softening long-held defences.
Shame, anger, and identity
This focus unpacks how shame and anger are often misunderstood. Participants explore how anger can protect deeper wounds and how shame can isolate. They begin to separate who they are from what they’ve done.
Creative expression, story-making, and healing
Prisoners use metaphor, imagery, and journaling to express experiences that may have felt too big or unsafe to voice. Creative work offers a way to safely rewrite personal narratives and explore identity beyond trauma.
Building a Personal Wellbeing Plan
As the programme concludes, participants develop a personalised wellbeing and regulation plan. This helps carry their learning forward, offering practical steps for emotional safety, support, and resilience beyond the group.
Interested in Bringing Healing Beyond Bars to Your Prison?
This programme is delivered by request and can be adapted to suit the needs, culture, and context of each prison setting. If you'd like to explore how it could be introduced in your prison we’d be happy to talk.
Enquire Now to explore availability, delivery options, or simply to start a conversation.
