Trauma & PTSD Therapy in Ontario
Virtual psychotherapy · Adults 18+ · Across Ontario
Trauma can affect how you think, feel, respond, and relate to yourself and others long after an experience has ended. You may find yourself feeling on edge, disconnected, overwhelmed, or reacting to situations in ways you don't fully understand.
I provide virtual psychotherapy to adults across Ontario who are experiencing the effects of trauma, PTSD, or difficult experiences that continue to affect their lives. Therapy can provide a safe, supportive space to understand what you're experiencing and work toward greater stability, self-understanding, and healing.
You May Be Carrying More Than You Realize
Trauma isn't always one clearly defined event. It can result from experiences that were frightening, overwhelming, threatening, or deeply distressing, particularly when you didn't have the support or resources you needed at the time.
Sometimes you know exactly what happened and how it continues to affect you. Other times, you may simply notice that you're struggling with reactions, emotions, or patterns that don't seem to make sense.
You may be functioning in your everyday life while still carrying the effects of what you've experienced.
Trauma can be connected to experiences such as:
A serious accident or injury
Childhood experiences
Abuse or neglect
Relationship trauma
Sudden or unexpected loss
Medical experiences
Witnessing something distressing
Workplace or occupational experiences
Repeated exposure to traumatic situations
Experiences where you felt powerless, trapped, or unsafe
Cumulative or repeated stressful experiences
When the Past Continues to Show Up in the Present
Trauma can affect more than memories. It can influence your nervous system, emotions, thoughts, body, relationships, and sense of safety.
You may know intellectually that you're safe now, while part of you continues to respond as though the danger is still present.
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Feeling anxious, fearful, or overwhelmed
Irritability or anger
Emotional numbness
Shame or guilt
Feeling disconnected from yourself
Difficulty trusting others
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Feeling constantly on edge or "on alert"
Muscle tension
Difficulty relaxing
Sleep difficulties
Feeling easily startled
Feeling disconnected from or uncomfortable in your body
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Intrusive memories or thoughts
Overthinking
Difficulty concentrating
Replaying what happened
Negative beliefs about yourself
Feeling responsible for what happened
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Avoiding people, places, or situations
Withdrawing from others
Difficulty setting boundaries
People-pleasing
Difficulty trusting
Feeling disconnected from relationships
Becoming reactive when you feel threatened or overwhelmed
When Trauma Symptoms Begin Affecting Everyday Life
PTSD can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms can vary considerably from person to person and may appear immediately or become more noticeable over time.
You may experience intrusive memories, nightmares, avoidance, heightened alertness, emotional changes, or difficulty feeling safe and connected.
PTSD can involve:
Intrusive memories or unwanted thoughts
Nightmares or distressing dreams
Avoiding reminders of the experience
Feeling constantly alert or watchful
Being easily startled
Irritability or anger
Difficulty sleeping
Emotional numbness or detachment
Difficulty concentrating
Persistent feelings of fear, guilt, or sham
Feeling disconnected from yourself or others
You don't need to have a formal PTSD diagnosis to seek support for the effects of trauma.
Understanding Your Responses
Trauma can influence how your nervous system responds to perceived threats. Responses such as fight, flight, freeze, or fawn can develop as ways of protecting yourself when something feels unsafe or overwhelming.
Fight
You may become angry, defensive, controlling, or reactive.
Flight
You may feel driven to escape, avoid, stay busy, or keep yourself distracted.
Freeze
You may feel numb, disconnected, stuck, or unable to act.
Fawn
You may prioritize other people's needs, avoid conflict, or automatically try to keep others happy in order to feel safe.
These responses aren't signs that something is wrong with you. They can be understood as adaptations that developed in response to experiences you've had.
Therapy Doesn't Mean You Have to Tell Your Story All at Once
You don't have to share everything before you're ready. Trauma therapy can be paced according to your needs, and establishing safety and stability is an important part of the process. Together, we'll work at a pace that feels manageable while developing greater awareness of your responses, strengthening coping skills, and gradually working toward the goals that matter to you.
A Collaborative Approach to Trauma Therapy
Trauma therapy isn't about forcing yourself to "move on" or simply forgetting what happened. It involves developing a greater understanding of how your experiences continue to affect you and working toward feeling safer, more grounded, and more connected in the present.
Our work will be individualized based on your experiences, needs, and goals.
Therapy may focus on:
Understanding your trauma responses
Developing emotional regulation skills
Increasing your sense of safety
Building awareness of triggers
Developing grounding and coping strategies
Processing distressing experiences
Reducing the intensity of trauma-related responses
Working with difficult emotions such as shame, guilt, fear, or anger
Developing greater self-compassion
Rebuilding trust in yourself and others
Strengthening boundaries
Reconnecting with your body and sense of self
How We Can Work Together
My approach to trauma therapy is collaborative and individualized. Depending on your experiences and goals, we may draw from different therapeutic approaches to support your healing and recovery.
EMDR Therapy
EMDR is a structured, trauma-focused approach that can help reduce the emotional intensity associated with distressing memories and experiences.
Somatic Therapy
Somatic approaches explore the connection between your experiences, emotions, physical sensations, and nervous system responses.
Learn About Somatic Therapy →
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT can help you explore patterns of thoughts, emotions, and behaviours that may have developed in response to difficult experiences.
Learn About CBT →
Trauma & First Responders
First responders may experience repeated exposure to traumatic situations, cumulative operational stress, and experiences that can be difficult to process outside of the work environment.
I provide specialized virtual psychotherapy for police, firefighters, paramedics, dispatchers, corrections professionals, and first responder partners across Ontario.
