Trauma Counselling

What is Trauma?

Trauma can be defined as anything you personally perceive to be threatening, overwhelming or upsetting. Trauma happens when your ability to cope with the disturbing event is completely overwhelmed.

Many people suffering from trauma-induced symptoms tend to believe that there is no hope for recovery.  If you’re struggling to cope with the effects of trauma, it is important to remember that these symptoms are treatable. Trauma Therapy can provide an opportunity to process your experiences and start working towards healing. With the right help, you can heal from trauma and find relief from the distressing events of your past.

“Trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however, have to be a life sentence.” 
Peter Levine

Examples of Traumatic Experiences:

  • Childhood emotional, physical, or sexual abuse
  • Being bullied
  • Domestic violence or sexual assault
  • Natural disaster
  • Being a refugee or a victim of war trauma
  • Death of a family member or close friend
  • Car Accidents
  • See someone die/illness
  • Surgery/birth trauma
  • End of relationship/divorce
  • Victim of discrimination
  • Workplace stress, harassment, job loss
  • Living with ongoing criticism and contempt

How Does Trauma Affect Us ?

Trauma can cause long-lasting changes in our nervous system. When we experience a traumatic event, our brain goes into survival mode. The fight-or-flight response is activated, and stress hormones are released. 

This can lead to changes in the way our brain processes information and how we respond to stress. We may become more easily agitated or have difficulty sleeping. We may startle easily or have trouble concentrating. Over time, these changes can persist and lead to problems with relationships, work, and mental health.

How Can Trauma Counselling Help?

We utilize mind-body approaches based in neuroscience which tackle the root of the problem. For most of the people that come to us, that root is past experiences of stress and trauma. 

These treatment approaches effectively release the negative impacts of trauma. Our team of experienced trauma counsellors have specialized skills and expertise in understanding and alleviating impacts of trauma. We provide secure online counselling and psychotherapy throughout Vancouver and BC.

Trauma Counselling - Personality Disorders Counselling

Healing from Childhood Trauma

Childhood trauma can have a lasting impact on our lives. When we think of trauma, we often think of physical and sexual abuse,  domestic violence, and emotional manipulation. For little children who come into this world expecting unlimited and unconditional love, ANY experience in which they feel unloved, unworthy, helpless, or powerless can feel intensely traumatic. It can leave them feeling scared, alone, and unworthy of love and connection. Childhood trauma can show up  as:

  • Not being able to express your emotions
  • Sacrificing yourself to please others
  • Not being able to say no and set healthy boundaries
  • Beating up yourself for your past mistakes or disappointing others
  • Not being able to ask for help or support
  • Seeking external validation and having low self-esteem

Trauma therapy can help us find relief from the distressing events of our past and create a brighter future for ourselves. Our experienced childhood trauma counsellors in Vancouver and BC can help you address the root causes of your problems and move towards healing.

Types Of Trauma Therapy:

We use a variety of different trauma therapy treatment options to help you heal from trauma and PTSD. Some have been used for decades while others have only been used in recent years. They have proven to be effective in most clients when dealing with traumatic events.

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Lifespan Integration Therapy (LI)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
  • Somatic Experiencing (SE)
  • Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
  • Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Book a complimentary consultation with one of our trauma experts today. we look forward to hearing from you

Request a consultation

“There is a wisdom in trauma when we realize that our traumatic responses and imprints are not ourselves and that we can work them through and thus become ourselves.”

― Gabor Mate

Recommended Reading:

  • The Body Keeps the Score – Bessel van der Kolk
  • Trauma and the Body – Pat Ogden et al.
  • Waking the Tiger – Peter Levine
  • Healing Trauma – Peter Levine
  • It Didn’t Start With You // Mark Wolynn