Trauma Therapy

What is Trauma Therapy?

Trauma is about how our bodies perceive situations. It is a response following an event that is psychologically overwhelming, often resulting in shock, denial, and changes in the body, mind, and behaviour. It’s an event experienced as harmful or life-threatening, with lasting adverse effects on mental, physical, emotional, social, or spiritual well-being. Traumatic events can include physical or sexual assault, violence, accidents, or even ongoing emotional abuse or childhood neglect.

Everyone’s experience is unique, and not everyone who goes through a traumatic event will have long-lasting effects. Some people do develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other problems like depression or substance use problems. About 8% of adults in Canada have moderate to severe symptoms of PTSD.

Trauma therapy encompasses various evidence-based approaches to address the effects of trauma, including PTSD. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), developed for PTSD treatment, helps individuals challenge and change unhelpful beliefs related to trauma. By understanding and thinking differently about the event, negative effects can be relieved. Another helpful therapy is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) that involves controlled exposure to trauma-related elements. The bilateral stimulation helps individuals overcome trauma by integrating distressing memories.

  • Survivors of Abuse

  • First Responders, Public Safety and Military Personnel

  • Refugees and Displaced Persons

Who is Trauma Therapy for?

  • Medical Trauma Survivors

  • Survivors of Disasters

  • People Impacted by Oppression

Common Symptoms of Trauma

  • Intrusive Thoughts: Flashbacks, nightmares, or unwanted memories of the traumatic event.

  • Avoidance: Steering clear of places, people, or activities that remind you of the trauma.

  • Hypervigilance: Being overly alert and on guard, often feeling jumpy or easily startled.

  • Emotional Numbness: Feeling detached from others or losing interest in activities you enjoyed.

  • Mood Swings: Experiencing intense emotions such as anger, sadness, or irritability.

  • Physical Symptoms: Increased heart rate, body aches, and difficulty sleeping.

  • Difficulty Concentrating: Trouble focusing or making decisions.

  • Feelings of Guilt or Shame: Blaming oneself for the traumatic event.

Get Started with Trauma Therapy

How can Trauma Therapy Help?

Processing Emotions: Helps individuals understand and process their feelings about traumatic events.

Developing Coping Mechanisms: Teaches healthy strategies to manage the impact of trauma on daily life.

Reducing Symptoms: Can alleviate symptoms of PTSD and other trauma-related conditions.

Improving Self-Care: Encourages prioritizing self-care and being patient with oneself.

Building Resilience: Helps individuals build resilience and find ways to enjoy life again.

Enhancing Relationships: Can improve relationships by addressing trauma-related issues that affect interactions with others.

Increasing Self-Awareness: Promotes greater self-awareness and understanding of how trauma affects thoughts and behaviors.

Empowering Individuals: Empowers individuals to regain control over their lives and make positive changes.

We are accepting clients residing in Canada.

Our Rates

Amelia Larson (M.S.W., R.C.S.W., Approved Clinical Supervisor) 

$200 (55 min)

Amber Jerome (Registered Clinical Counsellor, CCC)

$160 (55 min)

Insurance plans cover Amelia’s designations. Amber’s designations may or may not be covered by your insurance plan.

Your therapy experience will be unique to who you are, your goals and needs. Drawing on various forms of therapy ensures we can tailor your experience to best suit your needs. One size does not fit all.

Therapy FAQs

  • We work with emerging adults, adults and couples who are experiencing life transitions, symptoms of anxiety, depression, challenges with relationships, stress, trauma and struggles with parenting/co-parenting.

  • We offer a free 15 minute consultation session for you to explore if we are the right fit for you–your goals, your needs, and your style.

  • We do not work with children under the age of 15. We do not support individuals experiencing active psychosis.

  • Sessions are 55 minutes in length.

  • This can be directed by you if that feels right. We will often share a bit about who we are, explore your goals for therapy, answer any questions you have, and give you an opportunity to explore if we are the right fit for you.

  • We do not bill insurance companies directly. After each session you will receive a detailed insurance receipt via email.

  • Therapy can help you explore how past, current, and future experiences impact your behaviour, thoughts, and emotions. It can unpack how to show up as the best version of yourself in relationships and throughout contexts in your life. It can help you better manage how you cope with life stressors to enhance your daily functioning.

  • We are client-centered which means, we take our cues and direction about how therapy unfolds from you. At times, therapy will be uncomfortable and this is where growth happens. We believe in being real and transparent, this will sometimes include some laughs and hearing the hard things.

  • Your first session is an opportunity to know each other better and explore how to reach your goals, or we can dive right into why you came to therapy in the first place. It’s up to you!

  • Our hope is that every therapy session will provide valuable insight, resources, and tools to help you get closer to reaching your goals in life.

    Depending on the goals you have and the challenges you are navigating, some people will be in therapy regularly for a longer period of time, some may check in infrequently, and some may feel like they have what they need after a few sessions.

    Our goal is never to have people in therapy every week forever, we want people to gain skills and practice them in the world without us and come back when they need support.

  • We offer both virtual and in-person walk and talk sessions. We want you to be in your own safe space while working through the ‘tough’ stuff. For local clients (Calgary and Chestermere), there are options for walk and talk sessions. These sessions occur in nature (parks, walking paths, trails etc.) where we conduct a therapy session while walking together. Some people find this to be an easier way to work through their tough stuff. These sessions are weather dependent.

  • You are free to contact us after hours, however, please do not expect a response outside of the business day.

  • We have a limited number of sliding scale sessions available.

  • We accept credit card payments, e-transfers, and NIHB funding.

  • Either book your free 15-minute consult today, book yourself in for a session, or Contact Us with your questions.

Get Started Today

A therapeutic connection is an intimate and meaningful partnership. We offer a 15-minute complimentary phone consultation to determine if As You Are Therapy is the right choice for you.