If you want to heal from past trauma, I am here to support you. My trauma counselling approach uses best practices for recovery, such as EMDR and IFS-informed parts work therapy. It can help you regain control, feel more empowered, and strengthen your relationships. Over time, it guides you in overcoming traumatic experiences and finding freedom. I offer trauma counselling in Calgary, or online support worldwide, to help you heal past experiences. You can start with a free consultation to explore how counselling can support your unique journey.
Trauma can show up in many ways — it’s not always linked to one big event like an accident or assault. Often, it’s a series of smaller, painful experiences that build up over time, or the result of being in harmful environments. Trauma can impact your body, mind, and nervous system, leaving you with overwhelming emotions or a constant sense of anxiety. You may feel numb, depressed, or disconnected from your needs and boundaries.
Relationships can be challenging — it may be hard to trust others, you might fear abandonment, or you may avoid relationships altogether. Trauma can also contribute to low self-esteem, perfectionism, flashbacks, nightmares, and a tendency to anticipate the worst. It can make it challenging to build and maintain healthy, supportive relationships.
These experiences are exhausting but not permanent — modern neuroscience shows that healing is possible with patience and persistence.
Trauma counselling can help you regain control, build safety, and create healthier, more fulfilling relationships. While everyone’s journey is unique, many people notice significant improvements in emotional well-being, confidence, and connection with themselves and others.
Whether you choose trauma counselling Calgary or online, the right guidance can help you transform your life, step by step.
If trauma counselling doesn’t quite resonate with you, you might be interested in exploring trauma-informed counselling. Click below to find out more:
Wondering if trauma counselling is worth it?
It’s natural to feel unsure. Trauma can leave you feeling broken or stuck — but healing is possible, and you are definitely not broken.
Trauma counselling helps you take back control of your life. It’s about learning new ways to cope, feel safer, and move forward more confidently.
While each person’s trauma recovery journey is different, here are some real ways trauma counselling can make a difference:
Trauma counselling supports emotional regulation, resilience, and self-awareness. Over time, you may notice that overwhelming emotions are easier to manage, you trust your inner wisdom more, and you respond to life’s challenges with greater clarity and confidence.
You’ll reconnect with your needs, values, and inner strength. You’ll learn to feel safer in your body, recognize and honour your emotions, and cultivate a stronger sense of self.
Trauma counselling can help you build trust, set and maintain boundaries, and communicate more effectively, creating stronger, healthier connections with friends, family, and partners.
Trauma counselling helps you gently process painful memories and experiences that may feel “stuck” in your body or nervous system. Through practices like EMDR, IFS-informed parts work, and somatic approaches, you can release what no longer serves you, reduce the emotional charge of past events, and create space for freedom, resilience, and a renewed sense of self.
If this resonates, I offer a free consultation to explore how I can support your healing journey.
Hi, I’m Natalie — a trauma counsellor in Calgary with over 14 years of experience supporting people healing from trauma, complex trauma, and childhood abuse. My approach integrates best practices for trauma recovery, including EMDR, IFS-informed parts work, and Polyvagal Theory — always adapted to your unique needs. I believe healing should be safe, inclusive, and rooted in social justice, so I integrate anti-oppressive practices into my work. I also offer a flexible pricing scheme to make trauma counselling more accessible. I’m here to support you at your own pace and help you reconnect with your inner strength.
Curious to learn more about how I work or my story?
Healing from trauma goes beyond traditional talk therapy. It’s about reconnecting your body, mind, and emotions in a safe, holistic way. You don’t need to share your most painful stories right away — in fact, many clients find they don’t need to share all the details at all.
Here’s an overview of how I facilitate trauma healing. Please keep in mind that the stages exist on a continuum but a ridget pattern. But remember, your journey is unique, and if you choose to work with us, we’ll customize our approach to your personal goals.
This phase is dedicated to establishing real safety and stability in your life. You’ll develop practical skills such as boundary setting, emotional regulation, and body awareness. You might even notice yourself feeling calmer in stressful situations.
I draw from proven modalities including Polyvagal Theory, parts work therapy, somatic methods, structural dissociation theory, and DBT. Many people tell me they sleep better, handle emotions more easily, or enjoy relationships more fully after this phase. Together, these create a solid foundation that helps you feel grounded, empowered, and better equipped to face daily challenges.
Once safety and emotional regulation are established, you can begin to process painful memories gently. I frequently use EMDR and IFS-informed parts work in this stage. Like pruning a tree to encourage new growth, this phase helps you release what no longer serves you. It paves the way for profound transformation, inner wisdom, and deeper self-awareness. Clients often describe it as if the memories have lost their charge or faded into the far distance.
The final phase centers on reconnecting with yourself, others, and the world. You’ll cultivate a fulfilling and sustainable life like a strong, healthy tree. You’ll feel more whole and confident in your relationships, boundaries, and pursuit of your goals and dreams.
While I deeply value my collaboration with my clients, many find that regular counselling is no longer needed at this stage. Instead, this can be the beginning of a new chapter — some choose to continue with coaching or other supports to focus on specific goals and keep growing in new ways.
Absolutely. Not having a PTSD diagnosis doesn’t mean you haven’t experienced trauma. Trauma exists on a spectrum, and many painful experiences can have a big impact without fitting into a specific diagnosis. I don’t diagnose people—I work with your symptoms and experiences as they are, focusing on what you need to feel supported and move forward.
Trauma-focused counselling can support you through a wide range of difficult experiences—like bullying, workplace abuse, relationship violence, or adverse childhood experiences.
And if the term “trauma counselling” doesn’t quite feel right for you, that’s okay too. You’re always welcome to explore my trauma-informed counselling and coaching services, which offer support in a way that feels comfortable and tailored to your needs.
To help you determine the best fit, I also offer a free consultation. This allows you to get a sense of what might work best before making any commitments.
It’s totally normal to feel unsure about where to start. Choosing the right mental health support is a big decision. That’s why I offer a free consultation—so you can ask any questions, get a feel for how we work, and see if my approach feels like the right fit for you.
You can book your free session below whenever you’re ready. I’d love to connect with you and support you on your journey.
I work with young adults (18 and up), but my services are for adults only. If you’re looking for counselling for youth, Good Therapy is a great place to find a qualified counsellor who works with young people.
Lots of people find online trauma counselling really helpful—but really, it comes down to what feels best for you.
If you’re anywhere in the world, online sessions are super accessible. I use Jane.app, which is a secure platform, so you can feel good knowing your conversations stay private and safe.
Trauma counselling in Calgary is a good option if you’re in Calgary and prefer meeting face-to-face, I offer in-person sessions at the Grain Exchange Building downtown (815 1 St SW). Being in the same room can sometimes help create a clearer boundary between counselling and everyday life. Plus, it’s a quiet, private space where you can feel comfortable exploring and healing.
No matter what you choose, I’m here to support you in the way that works best.
That really depends on your insurance provider and where you live. If you’re in Canada and have insurance, it’s a good idea to check with your company to see if they’ll reimburse counselling sessions. I am happy to provide my professional designation to help with that.
Just a heads up—I don’t do direct billing, so you’d pay us first and then submit the receipt to your insurer for reimbursement.
If you don’t have insurance or you’re outside Canada, no worries! I offer flexible pricing to keep counselling as accessible as possible. You can find all the details on our pricing page.
It depends on your preferences and what you’ve experienced. If you’ve gone through a single-incident trauma, such as an accident, EMDR can be a very effective approach. It can also work well if you already feel stable in your nervous system and connected to your emotions.
If your traumatic experiences are more complex — for example, involving childhood abuse, relational trauma, or systemic violence — and you have symptoms such as dissociation, trauma counselling may be the better choice, as it offers more tools and flexibility.
You don’t have to decide on your own — we can discuss your needs and help you find the best approach. And since I offer both, you can always change at any time.
If this approach to trauma recovery resonates with you, I’d be honoured to get to know you.
I offer a free consultation so you can explore your options in a safe, supportive space. You can book through my secure online booking system or message me at nat@brighthorizontherapies.com—whatever works better for you.
