Trauma/PTSD

Are you trying to move forward in life, but find yourself constantly weighed down by the past? Maybe it's your experience growing up, a toxic relationship, or something that happened to you. After hardship or trauma, the brain adapts in brilliant (though sometimes unhelpful) ways. You might find yourself feeling anxious and unable to let things go, numb and shut down, or feeling disconnected from the person you want to be and the life you want to be living. If that sounds like you, know that this doesn't have to go on forever.

Counselling can help you uncover how your experiences have shaped how you show up in the world today, process the things that have happened to you, and navigate towards a life that feels fulfilling.

Your body is responding the best way it knows how

Trauma essentially boils down to the lasting physical and emotional responses after experiencing events in life that overwhelm our ability to cope with them in the moment. This could be a one-time event, such as a sexual assault or car crash. Or it could be a more complex and ongoing experience, such as growing up not feeling loved, or experiencing abuse or neglect.

When we face trauma or hardship, the brain does a brilliant job of adapting to keep us safe, and it adopts whatever beliefs and behaviours are necessary to get us through. If you're reading this, it's likely that you've noticed some of your own beliefs and behaviours holding you back from the life you really want to live. You are far from alone in this. Often, the strategies that keep us safe and functioning at one point in our lives stop being helpful, and may even start wreaking havoc on our ability to live the lives we really, truly want to be living.

We know how confusing and terrifying it can be when your thoughts and actions don't match the person you want to be. Therapy can help you identify the ways that trauma has impacted you, to find safety in yourself, and to heal from what's happened to you.

Trauma presents in many different ways

Trauma might look like:

It may or may not be accompanied by a specific diagnosis, such as:

Difficulty in relationships
Shame/self-hatred
Emotional overwhelm
Being on high-alert
Dissociation
Flashbacks/Intrusive memories
Depression
Hopelessness
etc.

It may or may not be accompanied by a specific diagnosis, such as:

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Acute Stress Disorder
Adjustment Disorder
Prolonged Grief Disorder

There is a path forward (even when it doesn't seem like it)

Regardless of what type of trauma or painful experience you've gone through, the team at Everworth is here to support you. While we can't erase your memory of the trauma, we can use evidence based treatments to process the traumatic memories, reduce the unwanted symptoms of trauma, address underlying beliefs and patterns that are holding you back, restore safety and control to your life, and help you to re-engage meaningfully with your life and those around you.

To do this, we use a combination of:

Internal Family Systems (IFS): To help learn about and recognize the different parts of you, to understand their protective roles and how they try to keep you safe, and transform your relationship with these parts.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): To develop a more secure relationship with yourself and others, and relate to our emotions differently.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): To learn new ways of relating to your thoughts and feelings without needing to push them away.

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT): To address and shift the thoughts and beliefs that are no longer serving you.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): To reduce the intensity of symptoms by changing the way that traumatic memories are stored in the brain.

What to expect in session

Here are some things you can expect from trauma therapy sessions at Everworth:

We'll work together to establish safety in your life and within yourself
You'll have a space to share about how the trauma has been impacting you, and we'll identify the things that have and haven't been working
You'll learn about how trauma impacts the brain and body, and we'll make sense of the symptoms you're experiencing
We'll look into your childhood and the way you were raised, including the messages you learned about yourself and the world
We'll talk about how you learned to relate to and regulate emotions, and learn new skills to make space for what feelings come up
You'll learn how parts of you (even one's you don't like) have been working to try to keep you safe
You'll be supported in identifying and healing the wounded parts of you
All of this is done at your own pace

I still have questions about trauma treatment...

Can I have trauma if I wasn't abused?

Absolutely, trauma can result from a wide range of distressing experiences beyond abuse. Trauma can stem from various sources such as accidents, witnessing violence, not having emotional needs met in childhood, sudden loss, or experiencing significant life changes. Even seemingly minor events can have a profound impact on individuals' emotional well-being, leading to symptoms such as anxiety, depression, or difficulty functioning. Trauma therapy can help individuals process and heal from these experiences, regardless of their cause.

Do I have to be diagnosed with PTSD to seek therapy?

No, you do not need to have a formal diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to benefit from trauma therapy. While PTSD is a common diagnosis associated with trauma, many individuals experience trauma-related symptoms without meeting the criteria for a specific diagnosis. Trauma therapy can be helpful for anyone struggling with the psychological and emotional effects of trauma, regardless of whether they meet diagnostic criteria. Your therapist will work with you to address your specific needs and goals for therapy, whether or not you have a formal diagnosis.

What if I feel worse when I talk about it?

It's not uncommon for individuals to experience increased distress or emotional discomfort when discussing traumatic experiences in therapy. Bringing up painful memories and emotions can be challenging and may initially result in heightened anxiety, sadness, or other difficult feelings. However, it's important to remember that therapy is a process, and sometimes, things may feel worse before they start to improve. Your therapist is trained to support you through these difficult moments and can help you develop coping skills to manage intense emotions as they arise. With time and support, many individuals find that talking about their trauma in therapy leads to a greater sense of relief and healing.

Trauma Treatment

Your body is responding the best way it knows how

76% of Canadians report experiencing a traumatic event at some time in life

8% of Canadians have moderate to severe PTSD symptoms

Due to the nature of trauma, it's often underreported, so these stats are probably higher in reality

Trauma presents in many different ways

Trauma might look like:

It may or may not be accompanied by a specific diagnosis, such as:

It may or may not be accompanied by a specific diagnosis, such as:

It may or may not be accompanied by a specific diagnosis, such as:

It may or may not be accompanied by a specific diagnosis, such as:

It may or may not be accompanied by a specific diagnosis, such as:

There is a path forward (even when it doesn't seem like it)

What to expect in session

Book a free 20 minute consultation to learn more about how Everworth can help you with trauma

Experienced Trauma Therapists at Everworth

Megan Gauthier, MSW RSW

I still have questions about trauma treatment...

Everworth Blog - Trauma

Trauma Treatment

Your body is responding the best way it knows how

76% of Canadians report experiencing a traumatic event at some time in life

8% of Canadians have moderate to severe PTSD symptoms

Due to the nature of trauma, it's often underreported, so these stats are probably higher in reality

Trauma presents in many different ways

Trauma might look like:

It may or may not be accompanied by a specific diagnosis, such as:

It may or may not be accompanied by a specific diagnosis, such as:

It may or may not be accompanied by a specific diagnosis, such as:

It may or may not be accompanied by a specific diagnosis, such as:

It may or may not be accompanied by a specific diagnosis, such as:

There is a path forward (even when it doesn't seem like it)

What to expect in session

Book a free 20 minute consultation to learn more about how Everworth can help you with trauma

Experienced Trauma Therapists at Everworth

Megan Gauthier, MSW RSW

I still have questions about trauma treatment...

Everworth Blog - Trauma

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