Trauma & PTSD Can Make You Feel Stuck
“Do you feel like the past is still controlling your life?”
You might relive moments in your mind, feel sudden waves of fear or panic, or notice your body tensing up for no reason at all. Daily life can feel unpredictable and unsafe, as if your past is dictating how you respond to everything around you.
“Are you struggling to feel safe in your own body or mind?”
You might notice heightened anxiety, jumpiness, sleep disturbances, or physical tension that never seems to ease. Flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, or triggers can make you feel like danger is always near, even in moments that should feel safe.
“Do you feel stuck, reliving the past instead of moving forward?”
Memories may intrude at the most inconvenient times, emotional reactions may feel out of proportion, and everyday stress can easily spiral into panic or avoidance. It’s common to feel trapped, like your past is constantly dictating your present.
If this resonates...
... you don’t need to keep trying to cope alone with distractions, overworking, or hoping the feelings will fade with time.
You need compassionate, intentional support to process trauma safely.
You need trauma therapy and practical strategies that help you regain a sense of safety, calm in your body, and balance in your everyday life.
How Counselling for Trauma & PTSD Can Help
Trauma and PTSD therapy provides a safe space to explore painful experiences without judgment. Together, we focus on healing the impact of trauma and developing practical coping strategies. Using evidence-based approaches such as Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and trauma-informed care, you’ll learn to:
- Process traumatic memories safely and reduce their emotional intensity.
- Calm your body’s stress and hyperarousal responses.
- Address the root causes and long-term effects of trauma, not just the symptoms.
- Build resilience, emotional regulation, and confidence in daily life.
With the right support, it’s possible to move from feeling overwhelmed or triggered to experiencing safety, empowerment, and renewed hope.
Why I Use Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
One of the most effective tools I use in trauma counselling is Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART). I offer ART in Red Deer as part of my in-person trauma therapy services. ART is a gentle but powerful approach that helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories so they no longer feel overwhelming.
With ART:
- You don’t have to relive every detail of what happened in order to heal.
- Gentle eye movements help your brain “recode” how distressing memories are stored.
- The facts of the memory remain, but the emotional and physical reactions fade.
- You’re left feeling calmer, safer, and more in control.
Many clients seeking trauma therapy in Central Alberta notice relief in just a few sessions, making ART a highly efficient option for those struggling with PTSD, intrusive memories, or trauma triggers.
How ART is Different from EMDR
People often ask how ART compares to EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), another well-known trauma therapy. Both use eye movements to help the brain process trauma, but there are some key differences:
With ART:
- Fewer sessions: Many clients feel significant relief faster than with EMDR.
- Less talking required: You don’t need to share every detail of your trauma.
- Imagery-based: ART uses visualization to “re-script” distressing memories.
- Gentler process: Clients often find ART less overwhelming and easier to tolerate.
Because ART is structured and efficient, it can be especially helpful for people seeking PTSD counselling in Red Deer or across Central Alberta who want effective trauma therapy without having to relive every detail of their experiences.
Why Choose ART for Trauma Therapy in Red Deer?
-
Fast results — many people feel relief in just a few sessions.
- Safe and gentle — you don’t have to relive every detail of your trauma.
- Focused on healing — ART helps your brain release the emotional pain while keeping the memory itself intact.
- Practical and lasting — designed to reduce triggers, intrusive thoughts, and PTSD symptoms.
Understanding Trauma & PTSD
Trauma is a response to experiences that overwhelm your ability to cope. PTSD can develop when these experiences leave lasting emotional and physical imprints. Symptoms like intrusive memories, hypervigilance, avoidance, or emotional numbness can feel unmanageable, but they are often the body and mind’s way of trying to survive.
In trauma therapy, we don’t just manage symptoms, we address the underlying impact of the trauma itself. With structured, evidence-based approaches, you can work through painful memories, restore safety in your body, and develop healthier ways to respond to stress. Over time, therapy for PTSD can help you reclaim a sense of control and live more fully in the present.
Healing is Possible And You Don’t Have to Face It by Yourself
Trauma and PTSD counselling can help you heal, regain stability, and create lasting change. If you’re in Red Deer or anywhere in Central Alberta, I offer in-person sessions where we can work together with practical tools and compassionate support.
Take the next step today. Book your appointment and begin your journey toward safety, healing, and resilience.
Frequently Asked Questions
I combine two powerful, evidence-based methods. ART (Accellerated Resolution Therapy) works by using gentle eye movements and a technique called Voluntary Image Replacement to reprogram the way distressing memories and body sensations are stored in your brain, often providing rapid relief (sometimes in just 1-5 sessions). IFS (Internal Family Systems) is a gentle 'parts work' approach that helps you understand and heal the inner conflict (like emotional shutdowns, or 'firefighter' urges) that trauma creates, bringing your whole system back into balance and calm.
No, you will not be required to describe the traumatic events in detail. Both ART and IFS are designed to be respectful of your boundaries. With ART, we focus on the visual image and physical sensations of the memory, allowing your brain to process it without you having to re-tell the story verbally. In IFS, we work with the feelings and thoughts your trauma created, not the graphic details, ensuring your emotional safety throughout the process.
Clients often report a significant decrease in distress, such as fewer flashbacks and less emotional reactivity, very quickly with ART. The 80-minute ART sessions are specifically designed for deep reprocessing, and it is common to see a dramatic change in the target memory after 1 to 5 sessions. For complex trauma and deeper self-healing, the ongoing combination with IFS allows us to create lasting, internal stability.
My standard rate for a 50-minute session is $190. The specialized 80-minute ART session is $250. To make payment easier, I offer direct billing through Telus eClaims for many major insurers. For all other insurance companies, I will provide you with a detailed receipt that you can submit for reimbursement. Please check with your insurance company to confirm coverage for counselling with a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC).
