Trauma Focused Therapists in Nanaimo, BC
Alicia Buck
Master Practitioner in Clinical Counselling- Provisional (MPCC-p), LPC
I believe that clients are the true experts of their own lives. My role is not to tell my clients who to be or how to heal, but to walk alongside them as they rediscover their own strength and resilience. I provide a warm, person-centered environment where everyone can feel safe, heard, and truly seen. I support all cultures, ethnic backgrounds, and members of the LGBTQI+ community.
Mandeep Lalli
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Are you feeling anxious, overwhelmed or stuck? Maybe something feels wrong? I help people navigate anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, and relationship struggles, with culturally sensitive care that honours your full background, including pressures others may miss. As a South Asian therapist who spent 15 years in the corporate world, I bring lived experience and real-world context to therapy.
DeRoux Jones
Registered Psychotherapist
I’m DeRoux Jones, a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario with a Master of Counselling Psychology specializing in Marriage & Family Therapy. I serve individuals, couples, and families, helping with anxiety, depression, grief, relationships, and Christian counselling. My approach is collaborative, evidence-based, and client-centered, creating a safe space for growth and healing.
Alexandra Kozikova
Registered Therapeutic Counsellor RTC
I am a client-centered, trauma-informed counsellor who uses evidence-based approaches such as CBT, alongside mindfulness and relaxation techniques. With a compassionate and practical style shaped by both my professional and life experience, I support clients in understanding challenges, building skills, and creating lasting, meaningful change.
Aaron Chin
Registered Clinical Counsellor
Hi, I’m Aaron, a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC# 21391) practicing online, and in person for clients in Surrey, BC. I strongly believe in the power of therapy to facilitate personal growth, healing, and empowerment. My approach is rooted in empathy, respect, and collaboration, providing a safe and non-judgmental space for clients to explore their concerns.
Jason Ryant
Clinical Counsellor (MPCC-Provisional)
I work with people and help to untangle what feels overwhelming and bring clarity and relief in all areas of life, including with anger, shame, relationships & disconnection, parenting, stress & anxiety, burnout, grief & loss, life transitions, social media & doom-scrolling, new diagnoses, and climate-related emotions.
Amelia Traer
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), BA, PsiChi
My work is shaped by CBT, ACT, DBT, ERP, and trauma-informed, mindfulness-based approaches. I support clients with anxiety, burnout, OCD and phobias, ADHD, grief, life transitions, women's health, and chronic health concerns. Our therapy space adapts, with a focus on connection, emotional regulation, and practical strategies that fit your life.
Tracy Greenough
MPCC (Provisional), RTC Candidate
You don't have to keep carrying everything on your own. I help adults, teens, and couples overcome anxiety, trauma, overwhelm, and self-doubt through practical, evidence-informed counselling that helps you create lasting change-not just temporary relief.
Robert Hammond
RPC, ICADC, CCAC, SAP
Addiction is a complex and challenging battle, but it's important to remember that recovery is not only possible but within reach for everyone. I firmly believe that every person deserves a chance to rewrite their story, and that's why I am passionate about providing comprehensive and personalized counseling to support individuals in their recovery process. Through a combination of evidence-bas...
Mackenzie Fournier
Registered Psychotherapist
Hi, I’m Mackenzie! I’m a Psychotherapist who loves keeping therapy real, down-to-earth, and practical. I help people untangle patterns around anxiety, food, and self-trust using tools grounded in science. In sessions, I bring my authentic self—you can expect a mix of support, guidance, and maybe a little humour when it feels right—so we can tackle challenges together without the extra pressure.
Tina Pirvali
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Accepting new clients. I provide virtual therapy across Canada for adults and couples navigating trauma, relationship challenges, communication difficulties, infidelity, codependency, attachment patterns, and life transitions. Using a warm, trauma-informed approach, I help clients strengthen their relationships, reconnect with themselves, and create lasting, meaningful change.
Karina Ramdath (she/her)
Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist
Karina will honour your skills, values, and experiences to help you improve your personal mental health, overcome trauma, and/or improve relationships. Karina provides effective therapy to help you achieve your wellness goals.
Erin Ibrahim
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), MACP, EMDR, ADHD-CCSP, BA
Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, relationship stress, self-esteem struggles, or just feeling stuck, we can work through it together. Pulling from a variety of frameworks to instead suit your unique needs instead of making it feel one-size-fits-all, I have interest in anxiety, depression, relationships, attachment, neurodiversity, and self-esteem. I look forward to connecting!
Maya Dousti
Registered Psychotherapist
I am a BIPOC trauma therapist, and I work with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, trauma, emotional dysregulation, self-esteem, life transitions, racial/cultural issues, new parenthood, identity, family and interpersonal relationships. I work eclectically, borrowing from several modalities to meet my client's needs.
Annie Szalkai
Registered Psychotherapist
I work with adults from diverse backgrounds, supporting those navigating anxiety, stress, and self-esteem challenges. My approach is client-centred and integrative, drawing from CBT, ACT, EFIT, Solution-Focused Therapy, and more to meet each person’s unique needs.
Katharine De Santos
Registered Psychotherapist
Healthy Minds Psychotherapy was founded in 2018 with the mission of providing psychotherapeutic care to individuals from diverse backgrounds, fostering resilience in each person and our community as a whole.
Grant McMahon
Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC 11135)
I offer virtual counselling to adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma-related concerns, relationship difficulties, grief, and major life transitions. For over 12 years, I've helped people understand the patterns that keep them stuck and build steadiness, clarity, and practical change in their lives.
Shadan Mosavat
Clinical Counsellor, M.A, CCC.
I work with adults struggling with anxiety, depression, and ADHD to help them understand and embrace the parts of themselves that are often hidden beneath these labels. I also support parents in discovering their most authentic and confident parenting style, free from the pressure of societal myths and expectations.
Alexandra Goodall
MA, Registered Clinical Counsellor, Somatic Psychotherapist, EMDR
Somatic. Relational. Neurobiological. I am an integrative, somatically-oriented therapist. I support clients who find themselves facing change and growth, be that in relationships, contribution/vocation, trauma recovery, intergenerational legacy, sexuality or spirituality. More at www.alexandragoodalltherapy.com and www.redkitehealing.com
Raquel Nicolau
Registered Therapeutic Counsellor
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Frequently Asked Questions About Trauma Focused
What is trauma-focused therapy?
Trauma-focused therapy refers to a family of therapeutic approaches specifically designed to address the psychological impact of traumatic experiences. Rather than only managing symptoms, these approaches help clients directly process traumatic memories, reduce their emotional intensity, and integrate them into a broader understanding of their lives. Trauma-focused therapy is indicated for PTSD, complex trauma, childhood abuse, sexual violence, accidents, grief, and many other trauma-related presentations.
How is trauma-focused therapy different from general therapy?
General therapy often addresses current functioning, coping, and emotions without directly engaging with traumatic memories. Trauma-focused therapy explicitly targets the memories, beliefs, and physiological responses connected to past trauma. It typically follows a phased approach: establishing safety and stabilization, processing traumatic material, and then integration and reconnection with life. This structure is important because jumping to trauma processing before a client has sufficient stability can be destabilizing rather than helpful.
What trauma-focused approaches are most evidence-based?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy have the strongest research evidence for PTSD. Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT) is the leading approach for children and adolescents. Somatic therapies such as Somatic Experiencing and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and phase-based models like EMDR-based FLASH and IFS, are also widely used for complex and developmental trauma where standard single-modality approaches may be insufficient.
How do I know if I need trauma-focused therapy rather than general therapy?
Signs that trauma-focused therapy may be particularly beneficial include: intrusive memories or flashbacks, nightmares, emotional numbness or avoidance of trauma-related reminders, hypervigilance, difficulty trusting others, significant shame, or the sense that you have tried general therapy without full resolution of symptoms. An assessment with a trauma-trained therapist can determine whether and what kind of trauma-focused work is appropriate for your presentation.
Is trauma-focused therapy safe?
When conducted by a trained therapist using an established protocol, trauma-focused therapy is safe and effective. Reputable approaches are designed to keep arousal within a manageable "window of tolerance" — avoiding both re-traumatization and emotional shutdown. Stabilization work done before processing ensures that clients have sufficient coping resources. If you feel unsafe at any point in trauma therapy, you can and should communicate this to your therapist, who will adjust the pace and approach.