Counselling for people who are still affected by difficult or overwhelming experiences, at a pace you help set. Registered Psychologists and counsellors certified by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) on staff. Psychologists regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). In person in Edmonton and St. Albert, and virtual across Alberta.

Book a Session | Match with a Therapist

You Might Be Wondering Whether Trauma Therapy Is Right for You

You may be asking yourself whether what you went through really counts as trauma. Maybe nothing happened that looks dramatic from the outside. Maybe it was years ago, or other people seem to have had it worse. That doubt stops a lot of people from looking into support at all.

Still, something may not feel settled. You might be sleeping poorly, or finding it hard to focus at work or school. You might feel on edge, or strangely flat, in ways that do not match what is happening around you. Or you might be pulling back from people you care about without quite knowing why.

Responses like these often make sense given what a person has lived through. They can be the ways your mind and body adapted to protect you when something felt like too much. They do not mean something is permanently wrong with you. You also do not need a diagnosis, a label or a complete story to ask about support.

If you are considering whether speaking with someone could help, this page may be a useful starting point. It explains what trauma therapy at Wholesome Psychology involves, what the research can and cannot tell us, and what to expect if you reach out. If you are reading for someone else, or you are not safe right now, there are parts of this page written for you too.

Who We Help

Trauma therapy may be a good fit if you:

• Are an adult, teen or child (with a caregiver involved) affected by a past or recent experience that still feels hard to carry.
• Are unsure whether what happened "counts" and want a space to talk that through.
• Have noticed changes in your mood, sleep, concentration, relationships, work, school or daily routines that seem connected to something you went through.
• Went through a single event, or experiences that happened again and again over a long time.
• Are a partner, parent or friend looking for information on behalf of someone you care about.
• Would prefer to meet virtually from elsewhere in Alberta.

This service may not be the right fit if:

• You are in crisis or in immediate danger. Please use the crisis resources just below. Appointment-based counselling cannot respond quickly enough in an emergency.
• You need a report for court, a legal opinion or documentation for a legal case. Forensic and legal needs are outside this therapy service. Psychological assessments, including a PTSD and trauma assessment, are a separate service with their own process and fees.
• You are looking for a program for people who have used violence or caused harm. That is not part of trauma therapy. You can contact the clinic to ask about other options or referrals.

If You Need Help Right Now

Trauma therapy is booked ahead of time and is not set up to respond to emergencies. If you or someone else is in danger, or you are thinking about suicide, please reach out to one of these services:

• 911 for immediate danger or urgent medical help.
• 988 (call or text) for suicide crisis support anywhere in Canada, 24/7 (Government of Canada, n.d.).
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7).
• Family Violence Info Line (Alberta): 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free).

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What Trauma Therapy Is

Trauma therapy is counselling for people who want to explore how difficult, distressing or overwhelming experiences may still be affecting their lives. Canadian public health information draws a line between the broad experience of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is a specific diagnosis (Public Health Agency of Canada [PHAC], n.d.). You can start trauma therapy without having, or wanting, a diagnosis.

It also helps to be clear about what trauma therapy is not:

• It is not an assessment or a diagnosis. Counselling sessions do not include a formal psychological assessment. Assessment is a separate service you would book on its own.
• It is not a legal or investigative process. Your therapist will not decide what happened, gather evidence or give legal advice.
• It is not crisis intervention. See the crisis resources above if you need help right away.
• This page is not personal advice. It is general information and cannot tell you what is happening for you specifically.

You set the pace. You decide what to share and when, and your therapist can check in with you about pace as you go. What you say in sessions is confidential, with some legal limits that your clinician explains at the start. The Confidentiality and Privacy section below covers this in more detail.

Every clinician works within the limits of their training and their professional regulation. If something you need falls outside that, such as medication or medical care, your therapist can talk with you about a referral to another provider.

Signs Trauma May Be Affecting You

People often look into trauma therapy because something in daily life has shifted, and it seems connected to what they went through (PHAC, n.d.; Canadian Mental Health Association BC [CMHA BC], n.d.). The list below is not a checklist. It cannot tell you whether you have any condition. It simply describes patterns some people notice.

• Feeling on edge, irritable or tearful more often than you used to.
• Feeling numb or flat, even around things you once enjoyed.
• Sleep that has changed: trouble falling asleep, waking often or sleeping far more than usual.
• Finding it harder to focus at work or school.
• Pulling back from friends, family or a partner.
• Feeling more guarded or short-tempered in close relationships.
• Everyday routines, like errands or the drive to work, feeling harder than they should.
• Carrying a heaviness that does not lift, even when things around you improve.

If some of these sound familiar, it does not mean something is permanently wrong with you. Responses like these can be common reactions to experiences that were hard to take in at the time. Structured support may help you make sense of them and decide what you want to do next.

How Trauma Therapy Works Here

• Find your therapist. Our therapist Match Tool asks a few questions and suggests clinicians who may suit you. You can also read Our Therapists profiles yourself. If you would rather talk it through, the admin team can help at 780-904-4880.
• Book your first session. You can book online through our booking system. In the first session, your therapist goes over informed consent and confidentiality, asks what brings you in and talks with you about your goals. You can ask how they work, and you decide how much to share.
• Build your plan together. You and your therapist agree on what to focus on and how to approach it. If another service seems more suitable, your therapist can talk with you about that option.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes. Many people meet weekly or every two weeks, and the schedule can change as your needs change.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist reviews with you how things are going. The plan can shift if something is not working or your goals change.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Therapy is a collaboration, and your feedback shapes it at every stage. The Getting Started with Therapy page explains the process in more detail.

Evidence and Approaches

Trauma therapy is not one single technique. Clinicians draw on different approaches depending on their training and your goals, so it is reasonable to ask any therapist which methods they use and why. The summaries below reflect only the research reviewed for this page, which was limited.

Trauma-Focused Psychological Therapy

What it helps with: This broad group of talk therapies focuses on how traumatic experiences still shape a person's thoughts, feelings and daily life.

Evidence summary: Psychological interventions for adults with PTSD have been studied, including in a meta-analysis of their efficacy after single versus multiple traumatic events (The Lancet Psychiatry, n.d.). PTSD and complex PTSD are both listed as diagnostic categories in ICD-11 (World Health Organization [WHO], n.d.), giving researchers and clinicians shared terms.

Limitations: That meta-analysis's findings were not available for this page, so no claim is made about how well any specific therapy works. The research also centres on adults with a PTSD diagnosis, which may not describe everyone seeking support.

Paced, Consent-Based Counselling

What it helps with: This approach gives you control over what you share and when, so therapy can begin with present-day concerns rather than detailed recall.

Evidence summary: This way of working rests on professional consent and practice standards rather than on a single treatment study. Therapy can be shaped around your goals, your consent and your readiness, and revisited as those change. The research reviewed for this page did not include outcome studies of paced approaches.

Limitations: Going at your own pace does not prevent all distress, and some sessions may still feel hard. It does not guarantee any particular result.

What Results to Expect

Therapy may help, but it rarely moves in a straight line. Some weeks can feel like progress, and others can feel harder, especially when sessions touch on painful material. Both are a normal part of the process.

Some people notice changes fairly early. Others find that longer-term work suits them better. Neither path means therapy is or is not working for you.

Several things can influence how therapy goes:

• The nature of what you went through, and how long it lasted.
• What is happening in your life now, including stress, safety and support.
• How well you and your therapist work together.

No therapy can guarantee a particular outcome, and outcomes vary from person to person. Fit matters a great deal. If a therapist or an approach is not working for you, changing either one is always an option.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in therapy is confidential. Psychologists in Alberta are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). They also follow the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists published by the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA).

Two Alberta laws govern how personal and health information is handled. The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) generally applies to private clinics such as Wholesome Psychology. The Health Information Act (HIA) can apply in some situations, such as when services are provided on behalf of a public health body. Your therapist can explain which rules apply to your care.

There are legal limits to confidentiality. A clinician may need to share information without your consent when:

• There is a risk of serious harm to you or to someone else.
• There is a suspicion that a child is being abused or neglected. Reporting this is mandatory under Alberta law.
• A court orders the release of records.

Your clinician will explain these limits clearly in your first session, before you share anything personal. You are welcome to ask questions first, including how your records are stored, who can see them and how virtual sessions are kept private.

Frequently Asked Questions About Trauma Therapy

Do I have to describe what happened in detail?

No. You decide what to share and when. Therapy can start with what feels hard right now, such as sleep, relationships or work, rather than the event itself. Your therapist can check in with you about pace, and you can say "not yet" at any point.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, with some legal limits. These include a risk of serious harm to you or someone else, suspected abuse or neglect of a child, and a court order. Your clinician explains these limits in your first session. The Confidentiality and Privacy section above names the Alberta laws that apply.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no set number. Some people find a shorter series of sessions helpful, while others benefit from longer-term work. You and your therapist review progress together and adjust the plan as you go.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters, and it is fine to say so. You can tell your therapist, or contact the admin team, who can help you find a different clinician. Changing therapists is an ordinary part of finding the right support. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can I access trauma therapy online?

Yes. Virtual sessions are available across Alberta, and the same confidentiality standards apply. Your therapist can talk with you about whether virtual sessions suit your situation, including whether you have a private space to talk.

What if I am still in an unsafe situation?

You can still reach out. Therapy can focus on support and on thinking through your options, at a pace that feels manageable. If someone you live with might see your messages or overhear a call, let the admin team know when and how it is safe to contact you. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. The Family Violence Info Line (Alberta) is available 24/7 at 310-1818.

Do I need a diagnosis to start trauma therapy?

No. You can come to counselling to talk about experiences or concerns that feel important to you. If a formal assessment, medical care or a referral might be useful, your therapist can talk with you about options. Assessments are a separate service.

I am looking into this for someone else. How can I help?

You can share this page, offer to look through therapist profiles together or call the admin team with general questions. For adults, the choice to start therapy is theirs. The clinic cannot share information about another adult's care without their consent. If the person is a child or teen, see the section on children and youth below.

Meet Your Clinicians

Our team includes Registered Psychologists (including senior psychologists and Specialists), Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Canadian Certified Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists and Student Therapists. All psychologists at the clinic are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Registered Provisional Psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist. Student Therapists are master's-level practicum students who work under clinical supervision.

Training and areas of focus vary from clinician to clinician, including experience with trauma-related concerns. You can read individual profiles on our Our Therapists page, or use the Match Tool for suggestions. The admin team can also help you choose at 780-904-4880.

Trauma Therapy for Children and Youth

Difficult experiences can affect children and teens too, and sometimes the whole family feels the effects. Wholesome Psychology offers counselling for children, adolescents and young people. Therapists who work with younger clients use age-appropriate approaches suited to each child's stage of development.

Clinicians also work with parents and caregivers, because a child's home environment plays a large part in how supported they feel. Caregivers should know that the limits to confidentiality, including mandatory reporting of suspected abuse or neglect, apply in child and youth counselling too. You can learn more on our child and youth stress and trauma counselling page.

Learning More or Booking a Session

If you would like to take the next step, you can do it in whichever way feels manageable:

• Book a session online
• Match with a therapist
• Call the admin team at 780-904-4880
• Email info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Read about getting started with therapy

You are welcome to ask questions before you decide anything. Starting the conversation is enough.

New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

References

• Canadian Mental Health Association, British Columbia. (n.d.). Post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Government of Canada. (n.d.). Mental health support: Get help. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/mental-health-services/mental-health-get-help.html
• Public Health Agency of Canada. (n.d.). About trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• The efficacy of psychological interventions for adult post-traumatic stress disorder following exposure to single versus multiple traumatic events. The Lancet Psychiatry.
• World Health Organization. (n.d.). ICD-11 for mortality and morbidity statistics.