Trauma and PTSD Counselling in Vancouver

Trauma doesn't always look like what people expect. Sometimes it's a clear before-and-after moment, like an accident, an assault, or a loss. Other times it's something quieter that built up over a long stretch of time, like growing up in an unpredictable home, or carrying something difficult for years without anyone noticing. Both shape how you move through the world, and both are something we can work on together.

If you've been diagnosed with PTSD, or you suspect you might be dealing with it, that's part of what I work with too. Flashbacks, hypervigilance, trouble sleeping, feeling on edge for no clear reason, these are common responses to trauma, not signs that something is wrong with you.

I don't use one method for every client. Some people respond well to structured, cognitive approaches that help reframe how they think about what happened. Others need more space to process at their own pace before anything else makes sense. I draw from a range of approaches, including Cognitive Processing Therapy, and adjust based on what you actually need, not what's easiest for me to apply.

I'm upfront about what to expect. Some people come in for a focused period of work around a specific event. Others find that working through one thing opens the door to addressing patterns that go back further. Both are valid paths, and we'll figure out together which one fits you.

I see adults dealing with trauma from a wide range of experiences, including survivors of abuse, people processing childhood experiences that are resurfacing later in life, and military members and first responders carrying the weight of their work. I also work with men and women navigating anxiety and depression that traces back to earlier trauma.