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Mental Health & Counselling Blog
Trauma, Healing, and Growth
Welcome to my little corner of the internet where I share what I know (and what I keep learning) about trauma, healing, and therapy. You’ll find posts about EMDR, trauma recovery, and what it really means to move through hard stuff with compassion and curiosity. Whether you’re here in Edmonton, or connecting with me virtually from BC, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, or the North, I hope these posts give you something to think about, something that helps you feel seen, or maybe just a reminder that you’re not alone in this. If you read something here that resonates and want to go a little deeper, you can always reach out. I offer in-person counselling in Edmonton, and virtual therapy across BC (Kelowna), Manitoba (Brandon), Saskatchewan, and the North. And yes, we can start with a free consultation.
Trauma-Informed Care (TIC)
This blog post aims to help readers understand the terms “trauma-informed” or “trauma-informed care” (TIC), terms frequently used in the world of therapy. Although these terms are common, they are not regulated or protected, meaning anyone can claim to be trauma-informed. This post will assist clients in choosing a mental health professional who truly offers TIC.
An educated trauma informed therapist offers safety, evidence based treatment, empowerment, and a strengths-based approach to their clients. This approach includes a collaborative journey of resilience, healing, and the promotion of reconnection and integration. One who offers TIC assumes the client has likely experienced trauma (often under reported and recognized), which impacts how they are served (Engle, 2023).
The Stages of Trauma Recovery
1) Safety and Stabilization
This stage is about understanding and overcoming dysregulation. We will learn how symptoms present, begin to understand traumatic reminders, triggered experiences, and cognitive distortions (Janet & Herman, as cited by Fisher, n.d.).
2) Processing
In order to metabolize trauma, evidence based treatments should be utilized. The client must have the ability to stay in their window of tolerance for processing to be effective-otherwise they may become overwhelmed or attempt to avoid the pain, memories, and flashbacks (Janet & Herman, as cited by Fisher, n.d.).