Online therapy across Ontario
Trauma and PTSD Therapy
Does something from your past still shape how you feel today, whether it happened two months or two decades ago? Therapy can help those memories settle, so you can feel safe and more like yourself.
Book a Free Consultation (opens in a new tab)
Signs of trauma
Do you feel on guard, even when you’re safe?
Trauma can follow a single frightening event, like an accident or an assault, or build up over years of feeling unsafe, criticized or alone. Either way, your brain and body can stay on alert long after the danger has passed.
It often shows up in ways that are hard to connect to the past: racing thoughts, trouble sleeping, snapping at people you love, or feeling numb and far away. Many people manage for years by staying busy and pushing it down.
You don’t need a PTSD diagnosis to get help.
Complex and childhood trauma
What happened to you matters, even if others had it worse
A helpful way to think about trauma is anything that was too much, too fast or too soon for you to cope with at the time. That can include neglect, ongoing criticism, bullying, emotional abuse or growing up in a home that never felt calm.
This is often called complex or childhood trauma. It can quietly shape how you see yourself, how safe relationships feel and how you handle stress as an adult, even if you can’t point to one moment where it started.
Your experience doesn’t have to look dramatic to deserve care. If it’s still affecting your life today, it’s worth talking about.
Why it happens
Some memories get stuck in survival mode
About 3 in 4 Canadian adults have lived through at least one event serious enough to cause PTSD, and about 1 in 11 develop PTSD at some point.[1] (source, opens in a new tab) When something overwhelming happens, your brain switches into survival mode. If there wasn’t enough support afterwards, the memory can stay stuck, and reminders bring the old fear back as if it’s happening now.
There wasn’t enough support
Going through something hard without comfort or safety afterwards makes it more likely to stay with you.
It happened again and again
Ongoing stress, abuse or neglect can teach your body to stay on alert, even years later.
Your body is still protecting you
Flashbacks, numbness and staying on guard are your nervous system’s way of trying to keep you safe.
How therapy helps
Let the past feel like the past again
Therapy starts with skills to help you feel calmer and more grounded day to day. When you’re ready, we work on the memories themselves, at a pace that feels safe.
Feel grounded
Learn ways to calm your body when something sets you off, so you can come back to the present.
Fewer flashbacks
Have fewer flashbacks and nightmares, and think about what happened without reliving it.
Quiet the inner critic
Ease the shame and the harsh beliefs about yourself that trauma often leaves behind, and treat yourself more kindly.
Trust more easily
Find it easier to trust people, set boundaries and feel close and safe in your relationships.
Rest again
Sleep more deeply and rest more easily once your body no longer feels like it has to stay on high alert.
Our approach
Well-studied therapy, at a pace that feels manageable
Sessions are warm and collaborative, and you set the pace. Along with EMDR, we draw on trauma-focused CBT, ACT and DBT skills. The goal is a life where your story isn’t dominated by what happened to you.
Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C)
Postpartum Support International
EMDRIA Certified Therapist
EMDR International Association
A plan built around you
We draw from several approaches and shape a plan around your goals, rather than a one-size-fits-all program.
You stay in control
You decide what to share and when, and you can slow down, pause or change direction at any point.
Sessions anywhere in Ontario
Sessions are by secure video, so you can join from home or another private space. Saturday appointments are available too.
Nicole Graff-Rowe
MSW, RSW · PMH-C · EMDRIA Certified Therapist
- Online sessions, anywhere in Ontario
- Based in Waterloo Region
- No referral needed
About your therapist
Hi, I’m Nicole, a Registered Social Worker and EMDR Certified Therapist
I started Nurtured Family Counselling so people have somewhere to say the hard things out loud without being judged. Here, you can stop holding it all together for an hour.
I want to understand your history, your struggles and your story, and help you move forward in a way that’s rooted in your own values and goals.
I have extensive experience with complex and childhood trauma. You don’t need to tell me everything at once, and we’ll work at a pace your nervous system can handle.
FAQ
Questions people ask before booking
It’s normal to have questions before reaching out. If yours isn’t here, you can send us a message.
What’s the difference between trauma and PTSD?
Trauma is what happened and how it affected you. PTSD is a diagnosis for when certain effects last, such as reliving the event, avoiding reminders, feeling constantly on guard and changes in how you see yourself. You don’t need a diagnosis to get help.
Will I have to talk about everything that happened?
No. You share as much as feels okay, and we build coping skills before working on any memories. With EMDR, you only need to share the headline.
What if I don’t remember much of my childhood?
That’s common, and you don’t need clear memories to start. We can work with what you notice now, like triggers, feelings in your body and beliefs about yourself.
How long does trauma therapy take?
It depends on what you’ve been through, the support you have and your goals. Building coping skills first can make the start feel slower, but in trauma work, slow is often the fastest way forward.
Can trauma therapy be done online?
Yes. All sessions are by secure video, including EMDR, so you can do this work from a private space where you feel comfortable. You can read more about EMDR therapy.
Is therapy covered by insurance?
Many workplace health plans cover therapy with a Registered Social Worker, and you don’t need a referral to book. Fees, receipts and how to check your coverage are on the Fees and insurance page.
Get started
Healing from trauma is possible.
Your past may be part of your story, but it doesn’t have to keep writing your future. We can talk about what you’re carrying and what might help.
Book a Free Consultation (opens in a new tab)