Trauma Therapy Calgary
Clearview Counselling is committed to helping individuals heal from trauma and distressing life experiences. We know that difficult life experiences can have a profound impact on one’s sense of safety and wellbeing. Our priority is to create an environment that fosters safety so that clients can process and heal from their experiences.
What is Trauma?
Though trauma is defined in different ways by different people, at Clearview Counselling we understand trauma as an emotional or physical response to an event that you experienced as out of control, overwhelming, frightening, harmful and/or life threatening. Trauma may occur in response to experiences including violence or abuse, situations causing bodily harm to self or others (eg. motor vehicle accidents, natural disasters, war or conflict, etc.), medical emergencies, or persistently not having your needs met (eg. neglect).
A difficult or traumatic experience may or may not lead to trauma. Varying responses to difficult experiences or situations is due, in part, to both individual and contextual variables such as resilience, the level of support offered or received by others during or after the experience, and personal beliefs that help someone make sense of their experience. Sometimes people experience trauma in response to experiences that may not seem especially difficult looking from the outside. Other times, people do not experience trauma in response to events that others may assume would be highly traumatic. At Clearview Counselling, our therapists help you to explore your own responses to difficult experiences and support you in moving though and beyond them if needed.
Some degree of trauma impacts most of us with studies suggesting that 70% of Canadians have been exposed to at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Unlike ordinary hardships, trauma typically takes longer to recover from. Often, the symptoms trauma are short term or may resolve with time and the support of others. In other cases, trauma may persist and cause serious, long-lasting challenges. If you have experienced a distressing or traumatic event and are experiencing trauma symptoms, you may benefit from working with a psychologist trained in the treatment of trauma.
Trauma-Informed Therapy
All services at Clearview Counselling are trauma-informed. This means we recognize the prevalence of trauma, the impact it can have on people and groups, and the signs that someone may be struggling as the result of trauma. We are committed to responding to trauma in a way that is gentle, supportive and protects people from re-traumatization. The psychologists at Clearview Counselling follow the key principles of trauma-informed approaches. Everything we do is intended to ensure safety, trustworthiness and transparency, collaboration, empowerment, and choice.
Introduction to Trauma Therapy
Trauma therapies are therapies specifically geared toward the treating the effects of trauma. At Clearview Counselling, our psychologists are trained in a number of trauma-therapies including: EMDR, Accelerated Resolution Therapy, Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy, Somatic Reprocessing, Internal Family Systems Therapy, Sand-tray Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapies. Other therapy modalities may also be integrated into your therapy as needed to meet your preferences and needs.
If you prefer a specific type of therapy to help you work through trauma, please contact our office or book a meet and greet session with one of our therapists so we can ensure we match you with a therapist who fits with your preferences.
Conditions and Symptoms Trauma Therapy Can Address
Responses to trauma often include symptoms that suggest you are struggling to process, understand, and/or integrate your experiences into healthy and optimal functions. Symptoms may include:
- Intrusive thoughts including flashbacks or nightmares
- Sleep problems
- Hypervigilance (being very aware of danger)
- Avoiding places, people or things that remind you of the traumatic experience/situation
- Challenges managing your emotions (eg. mood swings)
- Behaviour changes
- Reactivity (eg. easily startled, jumpy, etc.)
- Changes in how you see yourself or others
- Physical symptoms (eg. headaches, chronic pain, chest pain, etc.)
- Thoughts of suicide
- Increased use of unhealthy coping strategies (eg. self-harm, drug of alcohol use, etc.)
- Anxiety
- Depression
Sometimes, if symptoms are severe or persist for an extended period of time, it may be a sign that you meet the criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Trauma therapy helps you to process your experiences in a way that helps you make sense of them, alleviate symptoms, improve coping, build trust, offer validation, and decrease distress.
How to Schedule an Appointment or Contact Clearview Counselling for More Information
If you are seeking support connected to trauma, we can help. We offer flexible in-person and online appointment scheduling including evenings and weekends. We also have the option to negotiate lower rates if you are concerned about cost. Clearview Counselling is committed to offering accessible services. Our private practice in Calgary, AB is dedicated to helping individuals get the treatment they need to live happier, healthier lives.
Clearview Counselling is dedicated to delivering compassionate care while creating a comfortable and safe environment for our clients. Our psychologist cater to your unique needs, providing an evidence-based approach that achieves optimal results. We aim to help you heal from within and live a fulfilling life. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!
Here are some common FAQs for Trauma Therapy
If you are struggling with symptoms that may be connected to trauma, are feeling stuck in difficult memories, or believe you have unprocessed trauma, Trauma Therapy can help you heal and move forward.
Sessions at Clearview Counselling usually last between 1 and 1.5 hours depending on the type of therapy you are engaged in, the complexity and severity of the trauma, progress, and your personal needs and preferences.The length of treatment will be determined in ongoing consultation with your therapist.
The number of sessions required varies from person to person and is impacted by the type of therapy you are engaged in, the complexity of your experience, the severity of symptoms, and your goals. For more information on the typical length of specific trauma therapy modalities, please refer to our pages on ART and EMDR.
Absolutely. Whether you are seeking counselling to address trauma, or trauma is uncovered as you explore whatever emotional distress, mental health concern, or relationship challenge that brought you in to counselling, we are prepared to support you with trauma counselling. Our therapists at Clearview Counselling are experienced in developing personalized treatment plans that may involve a combination of therapies for the best possible outcome.
Our experienced children’s therapist uses a variety of tools to help children as young as age 4 process trauma. Unlike with adults, trauma therapy with children involves very little talking. Instead, play therapy modalities, such as sand-tray are the primary tool used to help children process their difficult experiences. Depending on the needs of the child, parents may be integrated into trauma therapy sessions with their child.
To schedule an appointment or learn more about Trauma Therapy at Clearview Counselling, you can contact our office directly by phone or email. Our friendly staff will assist you in setting up an appointment and answering any additional questions you may have.
Alternatively, check our staff profiles for members of our team. You can book online with one of our experienced staff by following the links on our website to our booking service.
If you have any further questions or concerns about Trauma Therapy or our services at Clearview Counselling, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to support you on your healing journey.