Healing Trauma

"If one can take action on one's own behalf in a difficult situation, the potential for trauma is reduced." -- Rob Fisher

As a counsellor specializing in trauma, I support individuals and couples in navigating the lasting impact of painful life experiences, both large and small.

Many people associate trauma only with major, life-threatening events like a violent attack or serious accident. But trauma can also emerge from experiences that may not seem “big enough” on the surface, yet leave a deep emotional imprint. These can include:

Loss of a loved one
Emotional or physical neglect
Difficult or abusive parenting
Witnessing violence or verbal aggression
Chronic illness or injury
Abandonment or rejection
Being shamed, ridiculed, or overlooked
The end (or threatened end) of a meaningful relationship

Trauma is not defined by the event itself, but by its impact on your nervous system. It's in the eye --and bodyof -- the beholder.

Whether rooted in the distant past or more recent life events, unresolved trauma can leave you feeling powerless, on edge, or disconnected from yourself and others. It can contribute to ongoing struggles with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, panic, compulsions, addictions, and other self-protective behaviours that no longer serve you.

A Body-Based Approach to Trauma Therapy

Because trauma often lives in the body, not just the mind, traditional talk therapy may not always reach its roots. That’s why I take a somatic (body-centered) approach to trauma healing, integrating:

Body Psychotherapy (Somatic Therapy)
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
Movement and mindfulness practices

Rather than focusing solely on retelling your story, we work with the present-moment sensations, impulses, and patterns in your body. These hold essential clues about how past pain is being carried and how it can begin to shift.

Together, we gently explore how your body responds to safety, threat, connection, and boundaries. Through this work, you can begin to process stored trauma, rewire defensive patterns, and develop a deeper sense of calm, agency, and wholeness.

What Healing Can Look Like

With trauma therapy, clients often report:

Feeling safer and more grounded in their bodies
A greater ability to navigate stress and emotional triggers
More authentic, connected relationships
Less reliance on coping behaviours that feel out of control
Increased self-compassion, clarity, and resilience
A renewed sense of choice, vitality, and possibility

Healing from trauma is not about erasing the past. It’s about loosening its grip on your present. With care, compassion, and curiosity, we can create space for healing, insight, and meaningful change.

“Trauma creates change you don’t choose. Healing is about creating change you do choose.”
— Michelle Rosenthal