You’ve tried to avoid thinking about it,
hoping that the lack of attention might cause it to go away. It didn’t.
Whatever “it” looks like for you, you’re tired of it getting in your way, and you’re ready for a change. Trauma therapy enables you to reclaim ownership of your life by helping you process emotion and tension that has kept you feeling stuck, connect more deeply with your loved ones, and live in greater alignment with your values — in the here and now.
What is trauma therapy?
Trauma therapy is an approach to healing that emphasizes recovery from a traumatic event or series of violating experiences. These might include violence, sexual abuse, childhood neglect, emotionally immature caregivers, betrayal or rejection, chronic stress, systemic oppression, natural disasters, and more. Trauma is not defined by the event itself — rather, trauma is a manifestation of the nervous system’s subjective interpretation of events as intensely distressing and/or life threatening, which results in an altered state of functioning that leaves unprocessed sensory input and emotion stuck in the brain and body.
Trauma therapy provides a relational container in which you can begin to unpack painful experiences in a controlled, titrated way (aka slow and steady). My work involves a blend of talk therapy, creative expression, and movement that connects your inner world to your external life, and helps you use the information gathered there to live a life you value. My favourite part of trauma therapy is its immense capacity for connecting you more deeply to not only yourself, but also to your loved ones and broader communities. As many traumatic experiences occur within the context of relationships, healing is dependent on your ability to feel safe and secure.
A lot of people don’t identify their experiences as traumatic until deeper into therapy, when new insight has been brought into awareness. Even if you don’t think you’ve experienced a trauma, therapy can be a transformative experience that helps you make sense of your past, process in the present, and pave the way toward a valued future. You don’t need a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to have survived trauma.
Trauma can manifest in many ways. I have supported people through panic, anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, emotional numbness, low self-esteem, suicidality, self-harm, insomnia, nightmares, flashbacks, chronic illness or pain, and more. I specialize in supporting male survivors of sexual abuse and domestic violence.
What can I expect?
At the beginning of every session, I like to offer an invitation to check-in with the body, either with a moment of embodied awareness or a moment of artistic expression. We can then build upon whatever comes up, honouring where you’re at and what your needs may look like that day.
Your first few sessions will be dedicated to building trust and safety within the therapeutic relationship, as well as orienting you to what resources you have at your disposal to get you through therapy and beyond. Then, sessions focus on processing traumatic experiences through a combination of exploring what you are holding onto (e.g. a memory, a fear or other emotion, avoidance) and connecting it with what manifests in the present moment by way of body sensations, emotions, and thoughts. For some, this work takes a few weeks, while for others it may take years or lifetimes.
Processing trauma can take on several forms. Sometimes trauma is too difficult to speak aloud, or you may not have memory of what you survived. Depending on your needs, I like to offer the opportunity to talk through memories, visualize corrective experiences, and/or attend to the body through somatic processing. Learn more about how I integrate somatic therapy with trauma treatment here.
By the end of a session, you might understand your experiences differently, have answered a question, or have acquired a new skill.
What is CVAP?
I am an approved provider with the Crime Victim Assistance Program of BC (CVAP). CVAP provides funding to victims and witnesses of crime, as well as their immediate family members, for counselling and other needs related to the impact of the offence. If you have applied to CVAP and have received a letter of approval from your claims coordinator, you may use your alotted funding toward clinical counselling sessions with me.
Learn more.
My trauma therapy practice is primarily informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-based therapy, and somatic therapy. Learn more about how I work here.
