One evening. One film. A completely different way of thinking about mental health.

On Tuesday 6 October, PTSD UK is hosting a live online screening of TRAUMALITY, and we're doing it alongside the Director Ton Mazzone.

TRAUMALITY is the film Ton wishes he had been shown when he first asked for help and he has partnered with us so that our supporters can watch the film together, and then stay on afterwards to talk to him about it. If you've ever sat in front of a mental health professional and felt like the question "what happened to you?" was never really asked, this is a film worth two hours of your evening.

What the film is about

TRAUMALITY investigates the growing evidence linking childhood trauma to mental health diagnoses. It looks hard at the medical model, at psychiatric medication, and at the movement towards trauma informed care.

Through interviews with world leading experts and people with lived experience, the film asks a question that sounds simple and turns out to be anything but: has modern mental healthcare spent decades treating symptoms while overlooking their root causes?

It's a careful, beautifully filmed piece of work that takes both the science and the human cost seriously.

Running time: 1 hour 36 minutes.

Who's in it

Ton spent four years making this film and brought together more than 20 of the most respected voices in trauma and mental health, including:

• Dr Peter Levine, founder of Somatic Experiencing
• Deb Dana, LCSW, clinician and author on Polyvagal Theory
• Janina Fisher, PhD, author of Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors
• Dr Richard Schwartz, founder of Internal Family Systems
• Dr Jessica Taylor, author of Why Women Are Blamed For Everything
• Dr Graham Music, Dr Suzanne Zeedyk, Dr Eugene Ellis, Dr Veronique Mead, Mandy Saligari, Lou Lebentz, Julie Harmieson, Benjamin Fry, Benna Waites, Dr Susanna Petche, Dr Angela Kennedy and Dr Asha Patel

Alongside them are people speaking openly about their own experiences.

Why Ton made it

Ton didn't set out to make a documentary about trauma. He set out to find an answer for himself.

For nearly ten years he lived with symptoms nobody could explain to him. In his words: "My dad didn't feel like my dad. My sister didn't feel like my sister. Everybody felt like a stranger."

He went to his GP, was given a diagnosis and medication, and left feeling more broken than when he arrived. Then he made a short film called A Day in the Life of Anxiety, which was viewed 34 million times and translated into 16 languages. That response told him something important: these symptoms were universal, and the explanations on offer weren't good enough.

He tried to get TRAUMALITY funded and approached close to a hundred production companies and distributors and heard nothing back. So he made it himself, his way, with nothing diluted.

What people are saying

"TRAUMALITY manages to combine the lived experience of trauma and its legacy with the expert thinking about trauma and trauma treatment, all beautifully filmed. It is emotion and intellect coming together to bring the issue of trauma to the forefront of our attention."
Janina Fisher, PhD

"I just had a chance to view it and am very impressed. You do a great job of covering the landscape of thinking about and treating trauma and I'm not surprised you've had such a great response."
Dr Richard Schwartz, founder of Internal Family Systems

"I just watched Traumality and am in awe of what you have created. I felt sad, angry, passionate, and inspired as I watched, and it left me committed to continuing the work of inviting people into this new way of navigating the world."
Deb Dana, LCSW

“An essential and powerful film that every human should watch.” The Psychologist

The film has already been screened within the NHS as staff education, at venues across the UK, and now internationally.

The Q&A

After the credits roll, stay with us for 30 to 45 minutes with Ton Mazzone and members of the PTSD UK team.

We'll talk about why Ton needed to make this film, the themes it raises about how trauma is understood and treated in this country, and why talking openly about trauma changes what's possible for people living with PTSD and C-PTSD. You'll be able to send in questions on the night via chat, or in advance when you book.

The details

• Date: Tuesday 6 October 2026
• Time: 7pm (UK time). Doors open 6.45pm
• Finishes: Approximately 9.20pm
• Where: Online. Your joining link will be emailed to you before the event
• Tickets: Pay what you can
• PLEASE NOTE: This is a single live screening. The film won't be available to watch back afterwards through this ticket, so do join us on the night if you can.

Tickets: Pay What You Can

We believe everyone should have access to this vital information, so tickets are available on a Pay What You Can basis:

• Free tickets available for those who need them
• £5 tickets for those who can contribute a little
• £10 tickets for those who want to support PTSD UK’s mission

Every ticket helps fund PTSD UK’s work, allowing us to provide resources, knowledge, and support to those who need it most.

A note before you book

TRAUMALITY discusses trauma, childhood adversity and mental health treatment openly and at times in detail. Please look after yourself while watching, feel free to step away at any point, and have someone you trust available afterwards if you think you might need them.

If you need to talk to someone, at any hour:

• Samaritans on 116 123. Free to call from any phone, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• Shout, by texting SHOUT to 85258. Free, confidential and 24/7, if talking out loud feels like too much
• NHS 111, if you need urgent help and aren't sure where to turn
• If you or someone else is in immediate danger, please call 999.

If you can't make our screening, but still want to watch Traumality, can you do so over on www.traumality.com where you can rent it for a 3 day period for £9.99.