Trauma & PTSD Counselling in Saskatoon & Across Canada
(In-Person and Online Counselling for Adults, Seniors, and Late Teens)
When the Past Still Lives in the Present
You might not always think of what you went through as trauma.
Maybe you tell yourself, “It wasn’t that bad,” or, “Other people have it worse.”
But your body tells a different story — racing heart, tension in your chest, the feeling that you can’t quite relax no matter how hard you try.
Trauma isn’t just about what happened — it’s about what stayed inside you after it happened. It’s the survival energy that never had a chance to complete, the emotions that froze in time, and the belief that the world isn’t fully safe anymore.
If you’re noticing these patterns — flashbacks, avoidance, irritability, or feeling disconnected — you’re not broken. Your body and mind adapted to keep you safe. Counselling helps you reconnect, rebuild safety, and finally exhale again.
Understanding Trauma and PTSD
Trauma occurs when something overwhelms your nervous system’s ability to cope. It could be a single event, like an accident or loss, or ongoing experiences such as emotional neglect, abuse, or high stress over time.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) develops when your body and mind stay stuck in that survival response long after the danger has passed. You might feel like you’re reliving the past or unable to trust your emotions or surroundings.
Common signs include:
Feeling hyper-alert or “on edge”
Avoiding people, places, or conversations that remind you of what happened
Nightmares, flashbacks, or intrusive memories
Emotional numbness or disconnection
Sudden bursts of anger or panic
Trouble sleeping or concentrating
But trauma isn’t limited to what’s listed in a manual. It can also come from experiences that left you feeling unseen, powerless, or alone — like growing up in a home where emotions weren’t safe to express, or constantly being told to “just toughen up.”
How Trauma Impacts the Body and Mind
Trauma changes how your body and brain experience the world. The nervous system becomes stuck in survival mode — fight, flight, or freeze — scanning for danger even when life is calm.
That’s why trauma can feel like anxiety, depression, or even physical pain. You might find it hard to focus, relax, or feel joy because your body doesn’t yet believe it’s safe enough to.
In counselling, we work to re-establish that sense of safety from the inside out. This isn’t about forcing yourself to “move on” — it’s about helping your body release the survival energy it’s been holding onto for years.
How Counselling Can Help
Healing trauma takes time, compassion, and the right approach. My goal is to create a space where you feel safe to explore your story — without rushing, without judgment, and without having to relive everything.
Through trauma-informed counselling, you can expect to:
Rebuild safety in your nervous system so your body can begin to relax again
Understand trauma triggers and learn how to manage them effectively
Release stored tension through grounding and body-based awareness
Reconnect with your emotions in ways that feel manageable and empowering
Reclaim your sense of self — your confidence, trust, and purpose
You won’t be asked to tell every detail of what happened unless you want to. We focus on your experience today — how it shows up in your thoughts, body, and relationships — and gently work toward integration.
A Trauma-Informed and Holistic Approach
My approach blends emotional processing with nervous-system regulation, mindfulness, and education. I often use grounding, breathwork, and visualization techniques to help you stay present while exploring difficult memories.
You’ll learn how to recognize when you’re outside your window of tolerance — that balanced zone where you feel calm and in control — and how to return to it. Over time, your capacity to handle life’s ups and downs expands naturally.
We’ll also integrate holistic practices such as journaling, gentle movement, and lifestyle habits that support the healing process. Trauma doesn’t live in the mind alone — it’s stored in the body, and it must be released through the body too.
Healing After Trauma Is Possible
Many people fear that they’ll never feel normal again. They say things like, “I’ll always be this way,” or, “The damage is done.” But the truth is, your nervous system is built to heal. It just needs the right environment.
Counselling helps you reconnect with that innate resilience — the part of you that’s been waiting to come back online. You start to notice small shifts: sleeping better, feeling more grounded, laughing more easily, or not reacting as intensely to stress.
Healing doesn’t mean forgetting the past; it means remembering it differently — with understanding instead of fear.
Who This Counselling Is For
Trauma counselling is for anyone who’s been through something difficult and feels its effects still echoing today — whether that’s a car accident, a loss, childhood neglect, emotional abuse, or simply years of chronic stress that left your system worn down.
You don’t need to have a diagnosis of PTSD to benefit. If you often feel tense, jumpy, numb, or emotionally flooded, your nervous system may be holding onto unresolved experiences. Therapy can help you find balance again.
What to Expect in Our Sessions
Every session is guided by your pace and comfort level. You’re in control of what you share. We may start with grounding techniques to help your body feel safe before exploring anything from the past.
Sessions often involve gentle awareness exercises, visualization, or reframing techniques that help you understand your reactions and reclaim your sense of control. Over time, you’ll begin to notice that the memories lose their charge — they no longer hijack your day or define who you are.
Each step is about empowerment, not reliving pain.
Why Work With Me
I bring a down-to-earth approach to trauma work. Before becoming a counsellor, I worked in the trades and grew up on a 4th-generation Saskatchewan farm — an environment where people often faced hardship quietly. I understand how easy it is to bury pain and “just keep going.”
As a Registered Professional Counsellor, I now help people unpack that survival conditioning with empathy and skill. My sessions blend professional training with real-life understanding — you don’t need to use clinical language or have it all figured out. You just need to be open to healing.
Start Rebuilding Safety and Trust
The past doesn’t have to define you.
You can learn to live in the present again — grounded, connected, and calm.
If trauma or PTSD has been holding you back, let’s start the process of healing together. It’s not about erasing what happened, but about reclaiming your life from it.
📞 Book a Free 20-Minute Discovery Call to learn how trauma counselling can help you find peace and stability again.