The first person I dated when I was 18 was a painful experience. I liked him. I felt happy that we started dating. It felt beautiful — until the first conflict showed up. We were in a disco together. He suddenly disappeared with a female friend. I suddenly felt that overwhelming sense, like I was…
Yesterday, I received an email with the subject line: “Epstein Retraumatizing Victims (Podcast Topic Idea).” The sender wanted to pitch me a “renowned trauma specialist” for my podcast, Trauma Demystified. The problem? I don’t take guests—and even if I did, the headline itself felt sensational and not trauma-informed. It also made me pause and ask:…
Welcome to Trauma Demystified. I’m Natalie Jovanic, your host on this journey. I’m a trauma counsellor and coach, and I also bring my own lived experience to healing relational trauma. Today’s episode is Healing Relational Trauma: What No One Tells You. But before we dive in, I want to honour someone who was an essential…
Some people come to me because their doctor recommended EMDR. I don’t know what these doctors truly understand about EMDR for childhood trauma — or how often they have spoken with an EMDR practitioner about what the approach actually requires. The research that informs most medical recommendations focuses primarily on memory processing with EMDR —…
Honoured to receive the 2025 GHP Award for Social Justice in Trauma Therapy Advocate This year, I was deeply honoured to receive the 2025 GHP Mental Health Award for Leading Social Justice in Trauma Therapy Advocate (Canada). While I don’t do this work for awards or recognition, this moment feels meaningful. Over the last 11…
Welcome to Trauma Demystified, a podcast brought to you by Bright Horizon Therapies. I’m Natalie Jovanic, a trauma counsellor and resilience coach, and I’ll be your host on this journey. In today’s episode, we’ll explore how to create safety after childhood trauma in adulthood. This discussion is designed primarily for adults who experienced childhood abuse…
You’ve probably heard the names: IFS, EMDR. They might have come up in conversation or during your research into healing trauma. You’re unsure what they are, how they differ, or if either is right for you. This article is an honest attempt to explain both — how IFS and EMDR for trauma can support recovery…
Welcome to Trauma Demystified, a podcast from Bright Horizon Therapies. I’m Natalie Jovanic—a trauma counsellor and resilience coach—and I’m glad to connect with you today. First of all, I want to apologize for the late release of this episode. I needed additional time to balance what to include since recovery from complex trauma is a…
Queer folks may carry unique and layered wounds — developmental, systemic, relational, and internalized. This guide explores LGBTQ+ trauma recovery and LGBTQ+ trauma counselling, offering honest insight into what healing requires in a world that often feels hostile. (I use the term “LGBTQ+” here for international relevance, while recognizing that in Canada, “2SLGBTQI+ community” is…
One of the questions I hear most often is some version of: Did I experience trauma? Or is it something more? People arrive at this question from different places. Some have been told their symptoms don’t warrant a diagnosis. Some have tried talk therapy and felt like it didn’t reach what needed to be reached….
End of content
End of content
Bright Horizon Therapies
Offering trauma-informed coaching and counselling in Calgary, Canada, and internationally. Flexible scheduling—book weekdays, evenings, or Saturdays.
Contact
Land Acknowledgement
Bright Horizon Therapies is located on the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Blackfoot Confederacy (comprising the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai First Nations), the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley First Nations). This land is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III. We acknowledge the traditional caregivers of the land and the importance of a commitment to continued decolonization of our work.
We respect your privacy. We only use essential cookies and rely on cookie-free analytics with Plausible.io. No tracking, no remarketing, no Google Analytics.
© 2011-2026 Bright Horizon Therapies. All Rights Reserved