Welcome to Trauma-Focused Therapy
Trauma-Focused Therapy (TFT) is designed specifically to help people confront and resolve the impacts of traumatic experiences. This approach prioritizes understanding how trauma affects thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, providing tools to process these experiences in a safe, structured way. Trauma-focused therapists offer a supportive space for individuals to work through painful memories, reduce symptoms of distress, and ultimately reclaim their sense of self and well-being.
Core Principles of Trauma-Focused Therapy
The foundation of Trauma-Focused Therapy is built on creating safety, trust, and empowerment. Here are some of the key principles that guide the therapeutic process:
Creating a Safe and Supportive Environment
Safety is a top priority in trauma-focused therapy. Sessions are designed to create an atmosphere of trust, where individuals feel secure enough to explore difficult emotions.
Understanding Trauma Responses
Trauma responses, such as hypervigilance or avoidance, are natural reactions to traumatic events. Therapy helps individuals understand these responses, reducing shame and guilt and helping them regain control.
Empowerment and Choice
Trauma-focused therapy emphasizes empowerment, providing clients with choices and respecting their comfort levels as they work through their trauma.
Processing Trauma at a Pace That’s Right for You
Therapy progresses at a pace that feels manageable and sustainable, allowing individuals to process memories without feeling overwhelmed.
Building Resilience and Coping Skills
The therapeutic process includes learning tools to handle stress, manage emotions, and improve self-regulation. These skills build resilience, helping clients maintain stability and confidence outside of therapy.
Ready to begin?
How we can work with you
We provide individual counselling (both in-person and over the phone).
Treatments we offer
Art Therapy
Art therapy is a specialized form of psychotherapy that integrates creative expression—such as drawing, painting, or sculpting—into the therapeutic process to support emotional, psychological, and cognitive well-being.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT, or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, is a practical and short-term type of psychotherapy, useful in treating conditions like depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress conditions. It works by helping clients focus on the present, on the problems that come up in day-to-day life.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
DBT is a modified form of CBT, and it aims to teach people how to live in the moment, develop healthy ways to cope with stress, regulate their emotions, and improve their relationships with others.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT/EFIT)
EFT (for couples) and EFIT (for individuals) are therapeutic approaches that prioritize understanding and transforming emotional responses.
EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and it’s an integrative therapy used specifically for clients who have experienced trauma and many other mental health issues. It has been proven very effective in dealing with these conditions.
Gottman Couples Therapy
Gottman Couples Therapy is an approach that helps couples understand and manage their relationship dynamics through practical, research-based methods.
Observed & Experiential Integration (OEI)
OEI helps integrate posttraumatic material in the brain to reduce trauma-related symptoms, including overwhelming emotions (such as anxiety and grief) by engaging the visual pathways (through the eyes).
Play Therapy
Play Therapy is a highly regarded and evidence-based therapeutic modality for children.
Therapy for First Responders
We are proud to offer therapy services provided by Terresa and Dean, both trained through First Responder Health and listed in the Warrior Health directory, an initiative associated with Wounded Warriors.
Trauma-focused Therapy
Trauma-Focused Therapy (TFT) is designed specifically to help people confront and resolve the impacts of traumatic experiences.