Providing In-Person Trauma Counselling in Vancouver and Virtually Across BC
Understanding Trauma
Trauma is not simply what happened to you—it is how overwhelming experiences become held in the nervous system, body, emotions, relationships, and sense of self. Many people who seek trauma therapy are not only carrying memories of difficult events; they are living with the lasting effects of developmental wounds, attachment ruptures, chronic stress, neglect, relational betrayal, or experiences that taught them it was unsafe to fully be themselves.
You may notice these impacts showing up as anxiety, hypervigilance, people-pleasing, emotional overwhelm, shame, self-criticism, dissociation, difficulty trusting others, perfectionism, or feeling disconnected from yourself. Often, these responses are not signs that something is wrong with you. They are adaptive strategies that helped you survive experiences that once felt too much, too soon, too fast, or too alone.
We at Flowy Spirit Counselling & Wellness provide trauma-informed care, helping you build new coping skills while releasing the weight of past experiences. By addressing both the nervous system and thought patterns, we create space for recovery, growth, and a greater sense of safety in daily life.
My Approach
My approach to trauma therapy is grounded in attachment theory, somatic psychotherapy, parts work, and relational neuroscience. Drawing from the work of Janina Fisher, I view symptoms not as pathology but as protective adaptations. Together, we work to understand the different parts of you that carry pain, fear, shame, anger, grief, or responsibility, while also honoring the parts that developed to help you cope and survive.
Rather than focusing solely on retelling traumatic memories, we pay attention to what is happening in the present moment. Through gentle exploration of body sensations, emotions, thoughts, and relational patterns, we help your nervous system develop greater safety, flexibility, and capacity. Healing often emerges not from forcing change, but from cultivating curiosity, compassion, and connection with the parts of yourself that have been carrying so much for so long.
The therapeutic relationship itself becomes part of the healing process. Many trauma wounds occur in relationship, and meaningful repair often happens in relationship as well. My role is to offer a space where you can explore your experiences at a pace that feels manageable, develop a deeper understanding of yourself, and build a more secure connection to your own inner world.
Trauma therapy may help if you are experiencing:
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Childhood trauma or neglect
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Complex or developmental trauma
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Attachment wounds
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Dissociation or feeling disconnected from yourself
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Anxiety, panic, or chronic hypervigilance
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Difficulties with boundaries and relationships
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Persistent shame or self-criticism
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Emotional overwhelm or emotional numbness
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Grief and loss
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Life transitions that have activated old wounds
Healing does not mean erasing the past. It means developing a different relationship with it—one where survival strategies no longer need to carry the burden alone, and where more of your authentic self can emerge with greater freedom, choice, and connection.
Trauma often feels like
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Guilt about surviving or feeling responsible for what happened.
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Shame about one’s perceived weakness or inability to prevent the trauma.
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Self-blame for events outside the person’s control.
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Difficulty in trusting others.
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Isolation due to a lack of trust in others.
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Fear of vulnerability or being hurt again.
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Emotional Overwhelm and Intense emotions like sadness, anger, or guilt, often felt uncontrollably.
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Numbness or feeling emotionally detached from surroundings.
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Hopelessness or a sense of being stuck, as if healing is impossible.
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Panic attacks or feelings of impending doom.
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Difficulty concentrating or staying grounded due to an ever-present fear response.
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Hypervigilance and in constant distress even in safe environments.
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Fatigue or chronic exhaustion due to the mental toll of trauma.
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Sleep disturbances like insomnia or nightmares.
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Physical pain such as headaches or muscle tension without a clear medical cause.
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Flashbacks and reliving vivid memories, triggered by environmental or interpersonal factors.
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Nightmares or disturbing dreams.
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Avoidance of triggers such as places, people, or situations that remind one of the trauma.
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Emotional avoidance, like suppressing feelings or avoiding thinking about the traumatic event.