trauma-informed therapy
cultivate a sense of inner safety and strength
What is trauma?
Trauma is a normal internal response to an overwhelming external event. Trauma is not the event itself, but what happens inside of us when we experience something that is beyond our capacity. Often, trauma leaves us with a sense of shame and powerlessness.
As a trauma-informed therapist, I can help you gently move past overwhelm and shame into a space of understanding and stability.
Common symptoms of trauma include:
intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, or nightmares
feeling constantly on edge, or “on alert”
feeling detached from others or from yourself
inability to experience feelings as you usually do
not enjoying things you used to enjoy
anxiety, panic attacks, or intense fear
feeling hopeless about the future
avoiding people, places, or things that remind you of the trauma
difficulty sleeping or relaxing
feeling numb, overwhelmed, or trapped
Trauma therapy might be a good fit if:
You’re not sure if what you experienced was traumatic, but you know something doesn’t feel right and you want to feel differently
You have a sense of what caused your trauma symptoms, or you may have a diagnosis of PTSD, but you can’t see a way forward through the murkiness in your head
There’s no single event that you can point to, but you want to build a grounded sense of inner strength and safety
You feel emotionally numb, shut down, or like you're stuck in a state of nothingness
You don’t recognize yourself anymore, you’re feeling totally lost, and you don’t know if this feeling will ever end
Trauma therapy can help with:
understanding why pieces of events from your past are coming up in the present
creating inner stability amidst chaos
shifting out of numbness and/or anxiety
healing from abusive relationships
learning to trust yourself again
acknowledging and grieving the losses that trauma caused in your life
navigating relationships with people who don’t understand trauma
separating the past from the present so it doesn’t intrude on your daily life
What to expect in a session:
I’ll equip you with practical tools and strategies for managing the symptoms of trauma that are currently impacting your life
We’ll practice titration, which is the process of healing trauma in small, manageable steps rather than all at once
This means we’ll work at a pace that feels comfortable for your nervous system; there’s no rush, no pressure
I’ll check in with you throughout the process to see if it’s feeling like too much or not enough, and we’ll make adjustments according to your feedback
We’ll figure out your triggers (what’s causing the past to intrude on the present) and create plans to manage each of them, so you can heal from your painful past experiences and actually enjoy the present
Still have some questions?
Ask away! We want you to be comfortable and confident starting your trauma-informed counselling journey.
*Please do not include any sensitive personal information.