Startle, tension, panic, irritability, racing thoughts, scanning for danger, difficulty sleeping, or feeling unable to settle.
Online trauma therapy · Ontario
THEN
IS NOT
NOW.
But your mind and body may still respond as if the danger has not fully ended.
Ask about trauma therapySafetyChoicePacingConnection
01 / Survival responses
What once helped you survive can become difficult to switch off.
Hypervigilance, avoidance, numbness, anger, shutdown, nightmares, intrusive memories, and disconnection can be understandable responses to overwhelming experiences.
02 / Trauma can move in different directions
Too much.
Too little.
Back and forth.
Some people feel constantly activated. Others feel distant or shut down. Many move between both states depending on context, reminders, stress, sleep, and available support.
Enough capacity to notice, think, connect, make choices, and stay with emotion without becoming completely overwhelmed.
Numbness, detachment, exhaustion, disconnection, slowed thinking, collapse, or feeling far away from yourself and others.
03 / Trauma is not automatically PTSD
The experience matters.
So does the pattern.
PTSD is a diagnosis with specific criteria. Trauma-related distress can also appear in other ways. A diagnosis cannot be established from a checklist or a webpage; it requires clinical assessment of symptoms, duration, distress, functioning, context, and alternative explanations.
Explore psychological assessment →04 / Therapy at a workable pace
You do not have to begin
with the hardest part.
Safety and context
Understand current needs, risks, supports, symptoms, daily functioning, and what would make therapy more manageable.
Stabilization and choice
Build ways to notice and respond to activation, shutdown, triggers, sleep disruption, and the need for control or avoidance.
Trauma-focused work
When appropriate and agreed upon, work with memories, beliefs, meanings, avoidance, or feared reminders using methods suited to the person.
Reconnection
Strengthen identity, relationships, boundaries, work, pleasure, meaning, and the ability to live beyond the trauma response.
The sequence is not rigid. People may move between these areas, pause, or spend more time on one than another.
05 / What matters in the process
Not forced.
Not rushed.
Not done to you.
ChoiceYou should understand and participate in decisions about goals, pace, and methods.
ConsentAgreement is ongoing; asking questions, slowing down, or declining an exercise is allowed.
FitOnline therapy, a specific method, or this practice may not be suitable for every situation.
CoordinationMedical, psychiatric, crisis, community, or other supports may sometimes be part of responsible care.
06 / Common questions
Before you begin.
Does experiencing trauma mean I have PTSD?+
No. People can experience trauma-related symptoms without meeting diagnostic criteria for PTSD. Diagnosis requires a clinical assessment of the event, symptom pattern, duration, distress, and functional impact.
Will I have to describe everything in detail?+
Trauma-informed therapy should not begin by forcing a detailed account. Pace and methods are discussed collaboratively, with attention to safety, readiness, functioning, and goals.
What may trauma therapy involve?+
It may include education about trauma responses, grounding and regulation, work with avoidance and beliefs, rebuilding functioning and relationships, and trauma-focused methods when appropriate and agreed upon.
Are appointments online?+
Yes. Appointments are offered online to adults physically located in Ontario. The suitability of online treatment is considered individually.
You control how much you share.Begin with what
Begin with what
feels possible.
You can ask about fit without describing the trauma in detail. Start with the current symptoms, impact, or support you are seeking.
Need immediate help?This practice is not an emergency service. If your safety is at risk, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. In Canada, call or text 9-8-8 for suicide crisis support.