Unlock the Healing Power of Trauma Therapy

Healing from trauma can feel overwhelming, uncertain, and at times impossible to navigate alone. I understand this not only through my training, but because I’ve walked parts of that path myself. I’ve also witnessed others find light in places they once thought were unreachable.

Over time, I’ve developed a gentle, effective, and neuroscience-informed approach to trauma therapy, one that honors your body, your story, and your pace. Research shows that talking in circles about painful experiences without resolution can sometimes deepen distress or even retraumatize. That’s why my work doesn’t rely on retelling or reliving your trauma. In fact, you don’t need to speak about painful memories at all.

This isn’t just about talking through pain, it’s about reconnecting with your whole self: mind, body, and spirit. Some wounds live beyond words, and that’s where body-based healing becomes essential. Your body holds deep wisdom. Together, we’ll follow its cues gently, allowing your system to guide the process in a way that feels safe and empowering.

I integrate EMDR, Rapid Trauma Processing, Flash Technique, Focusing, and Nervous System Unwinding to help release trauma stored in memories, emotions, muscle tension, and the subtle layers of a nervous system that’s been stuck in survival mode. This work supports you in moving from chronic stress into grounded presence—one breath, one sensation, one moment at a time.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, anxious, or weighed down by past experiences, this approach might be the key to unlocking a new chapter of peace and wholeness. Let me share what I’ve learned about trauma-informed therapy and how it can support you in reclaiming your life.

TOP 10 WAYS TRAUMA SHOWS UP IN THE BODY, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND LIFE

1. Chronic Muscle Tension or Pain

   
   

   The body may hold trauma as tightness, bracing, or unexplained aches, especially in the jaw, shoulders, chest, lower back or pelvis.
   

2. Digestive and Sleep Disruptions

   
   

   Trauma can dysregulate the nervous system, leading to insomnia, nightmares, or gut issues like bloating, constipation, or nausea.
   

3. Hypervigilance or Feeling “Always On Edge”

   
   

   A persistent sense of danger or scanning for threat—even in safe environments—is a hallmark of unresolved trauma.
   

4. Emotional Numbing or Shutdown

   
   

   Some people feel disconnected from joy, sadness, or intimacy, as if their emotions are muted or inaccessible.
   

5. Explosive or Withdrawn Relationship Patterns

   
   

   Trauma often shows up as reactivity, avoidance, or over-functioning in relationships—especially when attachment wounds are triggered.
   

6. Low Self-Worth and Harsh Inner Dialogue

   
   

   Trauma can distort one’s sense of value, leading to perfectionism, shame, or a constant feeling of “not enough.”
   

7. Difficulty Trusting or Feeling Safe With Others

   
   

   Even in loving relationships, trauma may create fear of abandonment, betrayal, or being misunderstood.
   

8. Overwhelm in Everyday Decisions or Transitions

   
   

   Trauma can make even small choices feel paralyzing, as the nervous system struggles to regulate uncertainty.
   

9. Avoidance of Certain Places, People, or Memories

   
   

   The body may instinctively steer away from anything that resembles past pain, even if the threat is no longer present.
   

10. Feeling Spiritually Disconnected or Lost

    
    

    Trauma can sever one’s sense of meaning, intuition, connection to our non-verbal body wisdom, our intuition or connection to something greater. Leaving a feeling of emptiness or isolation.

FOUR MAIN STRATEGIES I USE IN TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICE:

#1. EMDR

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured, evidence-based therapy that helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories so they no longer feel overwhelming or intrusive. It uses bilateral stimulation—such as eye movements, tapping, or sound—to activate both hemispheres of the brain, supporting the integration of distressing experiences. This process allows the nervous system to complete what was once stuck or frozen, without needing to relive the trauma in detail. How EMDR Can Be Used to Help You Process Trauma

In trauma therapy, EMDR helps you shift the emotional charge of painful memories, reduce flashbacks, and restore a sense of internal safety. It’s especially helpful if you feel caught in looping thoughts or emotional overwhelm. By gently guiding your system toward resolution, EMDR supports deep healing at the level of memory, emotion, and body. Understanding Trauma-Informed Therapy

#2. Flash Technique

Flash Technique is a gentle, neuroscience-informed method developed by Dr. Philip Manfield after the emergence of EMDR. As an EMDR trainer and psychotherapist, Dr. Manfield created Flash to offer a softer, more accessible way to help clients process trauma—especially those who feel overwhelmed by direct exposure to painful memories. Rather than focusing on the trauma itself, Flash invites you to hold a positive, engaging image or thought in mind while your brain quietly does the healing work in the background. This creates a sense of safety and distance, allowing the nervous system to rewire its response to distress without retraumatization.

How Flash Technique Can Be Used to Help You Process Trauma In my practice, Flash Technique is especially supportive for clients who feel easily overwhelmed, dissociated, or shut down when approaching traumatic material. It allows you to shift your relationship to distressing memories with minimal discomfort, helping your body release stored emotional and physiological tension in a way that feels safe, empowering, and often surprisingly easeful.

#3. Focusing

Focusing is a somatic and intuitive practice developed by philosopher and psychotherapist Eugene Gendlin in the 1960s. Rooted in his research on what made psychotherapy effective, Gendlin discovered that clients who naturally paused to sense into their bodies during sessions experienced more lasting change. From this insight, he created Focusing—a process that invites you to turn inward and listen to the subtle, felt sense of your experience. Rather than analyzing or fixing, we create space for what’s present—tightness, heaviness, warmth, or movement—and gently ask, “What does this part want me to know?”

In trauma therapy, Focusing helps you reconnect with your body’s innate wisdom and access layers of healing that may not be available through words alone. It supports you in building trust with your internal experience, allowing emotional and somatic material to unfold at a pace that feels safe. This approach is especially powerful for those who feel disconnected from their bodies or overwhelmed by emotion, offering a respectful, embodied path toward integration and self-compassion.

How Focusing Can Be Used to Help You Process Trauma

Focusing helps you reconnect with your inner knowing, by learning to understand non verbal language of the body. In other words, you will connect with the non verbal language of your body, and check in with your body, to understand what your emotions are trying to communicate. In turn, when you check in with your body it will allow you to gain meaning from your emotions much more clearly, than if you were just reflecting on how you are feeling and what your emotions wish to communicate to you. You can also use Focusing to check in with your emobody's inner wisdom and seek guidance on any decisions you wish to make. It’s a way of working with the body’s language, supporting emotional integration and restoring a sense of wholeness and self-compassion.

#4. Nervous System Unwinding

Nervous System Unwinding is a restorative, body-based approach that supports the release of chronic tension, bracing, and survival energy held in the nervous system. Trauma often leaves us in a state of persistent activation—hypervigilant, frozen, or collapsed. Through slow, attuned movement, breath, and co-regulation, we invite the body to complete interrupted stress responses and return to a felt sense of safety. How Nervous System Unwinding Can Be Used to Help You Process Trauma

In our work together, Nervous System Unwinding helps you shift from “always on edge” to grounded presence. It’s especially supportive if you feel disconnected from your body or overwhelmed by daily stress. This approach gently restores your capacity for regulation, ease, and embodied resilience—one breath, one sensation, one moment at a time.

Understanding Trauma-Informed Therapy

Trauma-informed therapy is a thoughtful approach that recognizes how deeply trauma can affect every part of our being. It’s not just about the event itself but how it shapes our thoughts, feelings, and even our physical health. This kind of therapy creates a safe space where you are seen, heard, and respected without judgment.

What makes trauma-informed therapy different is its focus on safety and empowerment. Therapists trained in this approach understand that trauma can make people feel vulnerable and disconnected. They work gently to rebuild trust and help you regain control over your healing process.

Some key principles include:

• Safety: Creating an environment where you feel secure and supported.

• Trustworthiness: Building a transparent and honest relationship.

• Choice: Encouraging your active participation in decisions.

• Collaboration: Working together as partners in healing.

• Empowerment: Fostering your strengths and resilience.

  
  

This approach is especially helpful for those who have experienced complex trauma, anxiety, or life challenges that traditional talk therapy alone might not fully address.

What is done in trauma therapy?

When you step into trauma therapy, the process is tailored to your unique needs and pace. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution but a personalized journey. Here’s what typically happens:

1. Building Safety and Trust: The first sessions focus on creating a safe space where you feel comfortable sharing your story. This foundation is crucial because healing can only happen when you feel secure.

   
   

2. Understanding Your Trauma: Together with your therapist, you’ll explore how your past experiences have impacted your emotions, thoughts, and body. This might include identifying triggers or patterns that keep you stuck.

   
   

3. Developing Coping Skills: You’ll learn practical tools to manage overwhelming feelings and stress. These might include breathing exercises, grounding techniques, or mindfulness practices.

   
   

4. Processing the Trauma: When you’re ready, the therapy may involve gently revisiting painful memories to help you reframe and release their hold on you. This step is done carefully to avoid retraumatization.

   
   

5. Integrating Mind and Body: Many trauma-informed therapists incorporate somatic therapy, which focuses on the body’s role in healing. This can help release tension and restore a sense of safety within your own body.

   
   

6. Building Resilience and Growth: The final phase supports you in reclaiming your life, strengthening your sense of self, and moving forward with hope and confidence.

   
   

Throughout this process, your therapist will honor your boundaries and pace, ensuring you feel empowered every step of the way.

How Trauma Therapy Supports Holistic Healing

Healing trauma is not just about the mind. It’s about reconnecting with your whole self - body, emotions, and spirit. This is where trauma therapy shines, especially when it integrates somatic and holistic approaches.

Trauma can create a disconnect between your mind and body. You might feel numb, anxious, or physically tense without understanding why. Trauma therapy helps bridge this gap by:

• Listening to Your Body: Learning to notice physical sensations and what they might be telling you.

• Releasing Stored Tension: Using movement, breathwork, or touch to ease the body’s stress.

• Cultivating Mindfulness: Developing awareness of the present moment to reduce anxiety and increase calm.

• Nurturing Self-Compassion: Encouraging kindness toward yourself as you heal.

  
  

This holistic approach supports lasting peace because it addresses trauma’s impact on every level. It’s not just about surviving but thriving.

Practical Steps to Begin Your Healing Journey

Starting trauma therapy can feel daunting, but taking small, intentional steps can make a big difference. Here are some practical recommendations to help you begin:

1. Find a Trauma-Informed Therapist: Look for someone trained in trauma-informed care and somatic therapy. You want a therapist who understands the complexity of trauma and offers a safe, supportive environment. For example, Holistic Mind Care in Toronto specializes in this approach.

   
   

2. Set Clear Expectations: Healing often moves more quickly when you’re clear about what you’re ready to process or release. Be patient with yourself, progress follows the rhythm of your body, not the urgency of your calendar.

   
   

3. Create a Supportive Environment: Surround yourself with people who respect your journey and encourage your growth.

   
   

4. Practice Self-Care: Prioritize activities that nurture your body and mind, such as gentle exercise, healthy eating, and restful sleep.

   
   

5. Use Grounding Techniques: When feeling overwhelmed, try simple grounding exercises like feeling your feet on the floor or focusing on your breath.

   
   

6. Journal Your Thoughts: Writing can help you process emotions and track your healing progress.

   
   

Remember, you are not alone. Many have walked this path and found profound healing and transformation.

Embracing a New Chapter of Wholeness

Healing from trauma is a courageous act of self-love. It’s about reclaiming your story and stepping into a life filled with peace, resilience, and hope. Trauma-informed therapy offers a compassionate guide on this journey, helping you reconnect with your true self and find balance in mind, body, and spirit.

If you feel ready to explore this path, know that support is available. The gentle, holistic care you deserve can help you move beyond survival to a place of thriving.

Your healing is possible ; one step, one breath, one moment at a time. If my approach resonates with you and you would like to meet with me, to see how I may help, please feel free to book a complementary 15 minute consultation, or to book a session.

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