Trauma Counselling Services in Alberta

When the Past Feels Too Close

Some experiences stay with you not just in memory, but in how your body tenses, how quickly you react, or how easily you disconnect. You might feel on edge for no clear reason, struggle to relax, or notice you’ve become unusually detached or perfectionistic.

Trauma doesn’t always look like fear. Sometimes it looks like exhaustion, guilt, irritability, emotional numbness, or an inability to slow down. It can show up in your relationships, in your sleep, or in how you see yourself.

At The Mental Health Clinic, our Alberta-based therapists help you understand how trauma has shaped your nervous system, emotions, and patterns and how to gently release its hold. Healing doesn’t mean forgetting. It means learning to live with more calm, confidence, and connection again.

Not sure if you’re ready yet?

Many people who start trauma therapy aren’t certain they’re ready to begin. A free consultation is simply a conversation with an experienced trauma therapist to ask questions and see how it feels. There’s no obligation to continue and you won’t be asked to share details of your trauma during the consultation unless you choose to.

How Trauma Counselling Helps You Recover

Trauma counselling isn’t about reliving the past. It’s about teaching your body and mind that the danger is over and that you can move through the world with steadiness and choice.

Through therapy, you’ll learn to:

• Calm physical symptoms like tension, hypervigilance, and fatigue.

• Understand and manage emotional triggers.

• Rebuild trust in yourself and others.

• Replace shame or self-blame with compassion and clarity.

• Reconnect with identity, boundaries, and purpose.

We meet you exactly where you are. You set the pace; we guide the process with expertise and care.

Understanding How Trauma Shows Up

Trauma can come from many places; an accident, betrayal, childhood experiences, burnout, or loss. Regardless of the cause, it can leave your system caught in survival mode.

Some people stay constantly on alert, ready for something to go wrong. Others shut down, feel emotionally flat, or overcompensate through overworking or people-pleasing.

Our work together starts with stabilization: helping your nervous system find balance so you can think, feel, and rest again without overwhelm.

Evidence-Based Therapies for Trauma Recovery

At The Mental Health Clinic, we use leading, research-supported approaches for trauma and PTSD treatment:

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Helps your brain reprocess traumatic memories so they lose their emotional charge.

• Internal Family Systems (IFS): Explores and heals the “parts” of you that carry pain, shame, or protective patterns.

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Reshapes beliefs that formed after trauma such as guilt, mistrust, or helplessness.

• Somatic and mindfulness-based methods: Strengthen awareness of your body’s cues, release stored stress, and build grounding skills.

Your treatment plan will be customized to your story and delivered by therapists with over 20 years of clinical experience in trauma recovery.

Rebuilding Connection, Confidence, and Calm

After trauma, people often feel cut off from others, from joy, and even from their own instincts. Therapy helps you reconnect with what makes life meaningful. We focus on:

• Restoring emotional stability and presence.

• Building healthy boundaries and self-trust.

• Reclaiming identity and purpose beyond the trauma.

Healing isn’t linear. Some days it’s steady, others it’s slow but over time, the past stops feeling like the driver of your life.

What Trauma Counselling in Alberta Looks Like

Every person’s healing process is different. Here’s what you can expect:

• Format: Secure video or phone sessions across Alberta.

• Therapists: Mental health professionals with advanced trauma-training and decades of experience.

• Frequency: Weekly or bi-weekly, depending on your goals.

• Approach: A trauma-informed combination of EMDR, IFS, CBT, and mindfulness techniques.

Whether you live in Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, or a remote Alberta community, you’ll have access to expert trauma therapy from the comfort and privacy of home.

Why Clients Across Alberta Choose Us

When you’re deciding where to begin counselling, it’s important to know you’re in safe and capable hands. At The Mental Health Clinic, every therapist is registered in Alberta and committed to providing care that’s genuine, professional and deeply human.

✔ Experienced Alberta therapists. All clinicians are registered and bring substantial experience supporting a wide range of mental health concerns.

✔ Accessible expertise. Premium-quality counselling at rates below Alberta’s provincial average.

✔ Evidence-based care. Therapy is grounded in well-researched approaches such as CBT, ACT, DBT, EMDR, and related modalities.

✔ No waitlists. Evening and weekend appointments are available, so support fits into real life.

✔ Online across Alberta. Access counselling from anywhere in the province, including rural and remote communities.

✔ Client-led choice. You choose the therapist you feel drawn to and use the consultation to explore fit.

✔ Insurance-friendly. Accepted by most insurance plans. No referral required.

✔ Personalized treatment. Sessions are tailored to your goals, concerns, and comfort level, never one-size-fits-all.

✔ New clients welcome. You don’t need to be in crisis or have everything figured out to get started.

When Trauma Starts to Affect Daily Life

You may benefit from trauma counselling if you:

• Feel constantly tense, jumpy, or emotionally drained.

• Struggle with nightmares, flashbacks, or intrusive thoughts.

• Find yourself shutting down or disconnecting during stress.

• Avoid situations, people, or memories linked to the past.

• Feel guilty, overly responsible, or unable to rest.

• Notice patterns of people-pleasing, perfectionism, or anger that don’t fit who you want to be.

Reaching out isn’t about weakness, it’s about wanting peace.

Your First Sessions: What to Expect in Trauma Therapy

1. Free 20-Minute Consultation

Client’s often begin with a free phone or video consultation to meet the therapist, review your goals, the therapist’s experience and learn how the therapist can help you feel better. It’s a no cost, no commitment approach to finding a good fit.

2. First Session – Understanding Your Story

Your first sessions focus on creating safety and teaching grounding techniques before touching painful material.

3. Ongoing Therapy

When you’re ready, your therapist will use EMDR, IFS, or CBT to process memories and change how your body and mind respond to them.

4. Review & Maintenance

We’ll build long-term coping tools so progress continues beyond therapy such as working on emotional balance, self-trust, and calm confidence.

FAQ: Trauma Counselling and Online Therapy in Alberta

Is online therapy effective?

Yes. Many clients prefer online sessions because they can choose a private, comfortable space. EMDR, IFS, and CBT techniques are fully adaptable to secure video therapy, offering the same results as in-person sessions.

Do I need a PTSD diagnosis to start?

No diagnosis is needed. If past experiences still affect your emotions, relationships, or sense of control, trauma counselling can help whether or not you identify with PTSD.

What if I’m scared to talk about what happened?

You’ll never be pushed to share details before you’re ready. We start with grounding and stabilization, focusing on how your body feels now rather than retelling painful events. You remain in control at every step.

Can therapy help even if the trauma happened years ago?

Absolutely. The nervous system can heal at any time. Many clients who have lived with trauma for decades experience deep relief and clarity through EMDR, IFS, and mindfulness-based work.

Do I need medication?

Medication isn’t always required for trauma recovery, but it can sometimes help manage anxiety, sleep, or mood symptoms. If appropriate, your therapist can coordinate care with your physician or psychiatrist for the best results.

Start Your Trauma Counselling Journey With Us

You’ve carried these experiences long enough. Healing doesn’t erase the past, it helps you move forward with strength, steadiness, and self-trust.

Book your free 20-minute consultation with Amy or Daniel, our trauma specialized therapists and take the first step toward feeling grounded and whole again.