Counselling for Trauma

Trauma therapy is individual therapy that specifically addresses processing and healing from traumatic events. Our therapists have specific experience and training in the impact of trauma on the brain and the body and have a depth of experience working with folks who have experienced sexual or gender-based violence. Trauma therapy provides a safe environment for clients to reconnect with their nervous system and work towards post-traumatic growth and recovery.

Trauma therapy involves three distinct phases of work: stabilization, processing, and integration. You can expect your therapist to provide you with an overview of what these phases will look like in your work together and what tools and strategies may be helpful in these phases.

The stabilization phase involves building regulation skills and deepening your understanding of your nervous system and your individual window of tolerance. This phase is essential in building a base to support deeper trauma processing and avoid emotional flooding.

The processing phase can involve exploring the traumatic events or incidents and the ways in which your present is impacted. This phase invites clients to experience a range of emotions without feeling overwhelmed by the experience. Grief and mourning are often explored in depth in this phase.

The reintegration phases invites trauma survivors to chart a new course forward and imagine a future with greater control over trauma responses. Reintegration combines the experience of hope with an actionable course towards a rich, full, meaningful life.