Trauma and PTSD Therapists in Ontario
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Jillian Ivany
Registered Psychotherapist
Life can feel overwhelming, leaving you anxious, disconnected, or stuck in painful patterns. I offer Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy in a warm, non-judgmental space where all parts of you are welcome. Together we explore your inner world with curiosity to support healing, clarity, and connection to yourself and others. I offer virtual/in person session. Free 15min consultations available.
Kristy Brosz, MSW, RCSW
Registered Clinical Social Worker/Mental Health Therapist
*Chronic Illness/Rare Disease Therapist & Trauma/Grief Specialist* Kristy's practice focuses on the intersection between trauma and grief/loss. Kristy has a special interest in the areas of trauma, grief/loss, rare/chronic illness, palliative care, and adoption/foster/kinship care.
Vanessa Leggio
MSW, RSW
Hello! I’m Vanessa, a couples therapist and trauma therapist. With both personal and professional experience, I’m dedicated to creating a safe space for healing and growth. I work with couples to rebuild trust, intimacy, and connection. For couples or individuals who are struggling with trauma, I use EMDR, a powerful and effective therapy that has helped many overcome and grow from trauma.
Heather Andrew
Registered Clinical Social Worker MSW RCSW
Heather Andrew is the founder of Aspen Wellness Centre. Heather has been a Mental Health Therapist for over eight years, supporting clients with a variety of needs including complex trauma, ADHD, PTSD, grief, anxiety, depression, family conflict and more. Heather is passionate about providing trauma informed care to her clients and is a fierce advocate for mental health awareness.
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.
Ferdie Mateos
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), MACP, ADHD-CP, EMDR, BA
Are you hoping to feel less "stuck," anxious, or sad? Is there a part of you hoping to reconnect with yourself and build confidence, build better boundaries, or understand how your childhood impacts your present? Do you want to learn coping strategies or skills for daily life or ADHD? Have you experienced a loss that you're looking to work through, or find stress is too present in your day?
Salima Jadavji
Registered Social Worker, MSW, RSW, CHyp™
I support high-functioning professionals and caregivers who feel exhausted, anxious, or disconnected beneath the surface. Using a trauma-informed, collaborative approach, I help you move beyond coping toward steadiness and self-trust. Email [email protected] to book a free consultation and see if we’re a fit.
Karine Côté
Psychologist
For all of us, life is full of surprises and sometimes it can be marked by major challenges. Since psychotherapy requires a lot of courage to open up to a stranger, choosing a therapist is an important step in the process of working through life’s challenges. I am pleased to present a summary of my experiences and interests in clinical psychology and look forward to working together with you.
Iguaraya Morales
Psychological Associate (Supervised Practice)
Taking the first step to confront challenging thoughts, emotions, and behaviors requires immense courage, and I commend you for embarking on this path toward healing and self-improvement. As a mental health professional, my goal is to provide you with a compassionate and non-judgmental space where you can explore your challenges and work toward resolution.
Alysha Bernstein
Registered Psychotherapist, Clinical Supervisor & Traumatologist
I am a registered psychotherapist with a decade of experience in mental healthcare. I have built an authentic, client-centred, and empathic space in my private practice since 2020. We provide care for a wide range of mental health issues and couples or family conflict. My team is as accessible and affordable as possible and we are constantly learning new and better ways to support our clients
Lila Z. Hakim
Psychologist
I feel honoured to support individuals and couples from all walks of life in achieving their greatest life potentials. If you are unsure about therapy, I would be happy to meet for an introductory consultation to assure that you are connecting to a therapist who will be a good fit with your needs.
Nikki Ward
Registered Psychotherapist
Therapist & Clinic Owner at Electric City Wellness Accepting new clients both In-Person in Peterborough & Virtually throughout Ontario! Offering FREE 20-minute consultations!
Sara Antunes-Alves
Psychologist
I admire the courage required to choose therapy to navigate life’s challenges, and I first want to applaud you for your courage. Your motivation to the openness, vulnerability, and change involved in the therapy process is perhaps the most important predictor that therapy will be helpful for you. There is hope already in that.
Shauna Mayer
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), CYI
With 25 years of experience in mental health, yoga therapy, and spiritual care, I bring a wealth of knowledge and compassionate support to our sessions. Are you looking for a therapist who provides a warm, collaborative, and empowering approach to healing? I believe that within each of us lies the strength and wisdom to create meaningful change and growth.
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.
Vanessa Fingland
Master Practitioner In Clinical Counselling-Prov
Counselling for Women. I know how tired you are of feeling overwhelmed, stressed and not being able to get your needs met. Imagine how life could be if you could control your emotions, ask for what you want, and not feel guilty! I help women who struggle with: relationships, setting boundaries, confidence, communicating their feelings, stress, burnout, anxiety, anger/resentment.
Melanie Pine
Registered Psychotherapist
Are you feeling overwhelmed, unhappy with where you are, or unsure about your next step? You don’t have to figure it out on your own. I’m here to walk with you through life’s challenges and help you create the future you want. I work with both individuals and couples to help support with anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, with a strong focus on perinatal mental health.
Brittany Peddle
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
I work with individuals who are looking to overcome their trauma by learning healthier coping skills and more helpful resources, and who want to do deeper processing work to resolve and release trauma in order to let go of the past and move forward in life. I offer both support and solutions, using a client-centered approach utilizing DBT, ACT, EMDR, Somatic Therapy and other modalities.
Joshua Peters
Psychologist (Supervised Practice)
Life is a dynamic journey filled with both ‘high’ and ‘low’ moments. This process can feel even worse if you are alone or unsupported. In seeking help from a therapist, you have taken an important and admirable first step towards healing and growth. I offer you a warm welcome on your journey towards better mental health.
Zeesy Halpern
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
I offer low cost therapy, including one free session for adults who are struggling with a range of issues including anxiety, depression, life transitions and experiences of trauma. If you have been feeling like you are going through the motions, unable to change unhelpful patterns and overwhelmed with life's challenges, therapy can help you reconnect with yourself, your goals and what matters.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Trauma and PTSD
What is trauma and when does it become PTSD?
Trauma refers to an overwhelming experience — such as abuse, accidents, assault, natural disasters, or witnessing violence — that exceeds a person's capacity to cope. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) occurs when symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, emotional numbing, hypervigilance, and avoidance persist for more than a month and cause significant impairment. PTSD affects an estimated 9–10% of Canadians at some point in their lives.
Which therapy approaches are most effective for trauma and PTSD?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy have the strongest evidence for PTSD. Trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT) is the leading approach for children and adolescents. Somatic and body-based therapies are increasingly used alongside these approaches for complex or developmental trauma.
What is complex trauma (C-PTSD) and how is it treated?
Complex PTSD arises from repeated, prolonged trauma — often in childhood, such as abuse, neglect, or domestic violence — rather than a single incident. It involves additional features beyond standard PTSD, including difficulties with emotional regulation, identity, and relationships. Treatment is typically longer-term and uses phase-based approaches that build safety and stabilization before directly processing traumatic memories.
Do I have to talk about the traumatic event in therapy?
Not necessarily, and not right away. Effective trauma therapy begins with establishing safety and building coping skills before approaching traumatic memories. EMDR processes trauma without requiring you to narrate it in detail. Your therapist will move at a pace that feels manageable, and you always retain agency over what you address in each session.
Is it safe to start trauma therapy if I am currently in crisis?
Trauma therapy is most effective when you have some degree of stability and safety in your current life. If you are in acute crisis — such as active suicidal ideation, ongoing abuse, or severe dissociation — your therapist will prioritize stabilization and safety planning before any trauma-processing work begins. If you are in immediate danger, contact the 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline or emergency services (911).