Trauma Focused Therapists in Waterloo, ON
Katherine Koplov
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
A second-generation psychotherapist with lived experience as an immigrant, corporate leader, and survivor of relational trauma, I bring a compassionate, culturally attuned, and trauma-informed lens. My integrative approach draws on Mindfulness, Somatic Therapy, EFT, IFS, Polyvagal-informed approaches, Narrative Therapy, DBT, CBT, and SFBT to foster meaningful and lasting change.
Vrushalee N
Registered Psychotherapist
I’m a Registered Psychotherapist specializing in relational trauma, narcissistic abuse, attachment wounds, identity, self-worth, and emotional regulation. My approach is trauma-informed, integrative, culturally responsive, and deeply collaborative, helping clients move beyond survival patterns toward self-trust, healthier boundaries, and meaningful change.
Emma Laughlan
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
I work with children (10+), teens, and adults who feel anxious, overwhelmed, or exhausted by the pressure to get everything “right.” You may be stuck in overthinking, people‑pleasing, panic symptoms, health anxiety, or relationship patterns that leave you doubting yourself. On the outside, you might appear high‑achieving and capable. Inside, you feel tense, self‑critical, or never quite enough.
Katelyn Matias
Registered Psychotherapist
Hi, I’m Katelyn Matias, a Registered Psychotherapist and the Founder of Anchor & Bloom Psychotherapy. My approach to therapy is trauma-informed, relational, and grounded in attachment theory. I believe that our experiences, relationships, and nervous system responses shape how we understand ourselves, navigate emotions, and connect with others.
Grace Gao
Registered Social Worker
Grace is passionate about creating accessible and culturally responsive mental health support, particularly for individuals who may feel hesitant to seek formal counseling services. As a bilingual professional fluent in English and Mandarin, she values creating a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment where clients feel heard and respected.
Stacy Kirkbride
Registered Psychotherapist, Recreation Therapist
I offer compassionate support for those living with chronic illness, pain, and post-injury life challenges. I specialize in helping you navigate the emotional and mental hurdles these bring. My goal is to help you reclaim your sense of self, cope with grief and loss, and rebuild your life with resilience and purpose. You're not alone--I'm here to support you every step of the way.
Horace Spence
RSSW, Psychotherapist
Coach Spence Wellness & Therapy Services provides trusted, culturally grounded therapy and holistic coaching for individuals, couples, and families. We support healing from stress, anxiety, and conflict while strengthening communication, resilience, and self-care. Through counseling, workshops, and wellness tools, we help clients build balance across mind, body, and spirit.
Amanda Rennick-Hazen
Registered Psychotherapist
I enjoy using a variety of techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Strategies, Mindfulness Meditation, Trauma Informed, Compassion Focused, & Emotion Focused. Depression & Sadness Anxiety & Worry Work , Home, & School Stress Grief & Loss Divorce & Separation Unexpected life transitions, unexpected change, lost opportunities
Delia Bagi
EMDR Therapist
Délia Bagi, RP(Q) is a warm, intuitive EMDR therapist who specializes in helping self-aware people finally feel the change they've long understood. With expertise in anxiety, trauma, and relationships, she blends EMDR, CBT, and mindfulness into a thoughtful, unhurried approach - creating real, lasting shifts between sessions, not just during them.
Catherine Sullivan
MSW, RSW
Trauma and EMDR therapy in the West End of Ottawa.
Paris Moaf
Registered Psychotherapist, M Psy, MSc, RP
As the founder and clinical director of Paris Mind Clinic, Paris Parastoo Moaf specializes in helping clients manage and overcome depression, anxiety, PTSD, emotional disorders, grief, and relationship issues. Using CBT, DBT, MBCT, ACT, EFT, and Adlerian Therapy, Paris Parastoo Moaf tailors sessions to your unique needs.
Johanna Benoit
Registered Psychotherapist
NIHB provider, specializing in CPTSD and trauma, perinatal grief and loss, PTSD, anxiety, depression and borderline personality disorder.
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.
Katherine McNichol
Registered Psychotherapist
Katherine is a Registered Psychotherapist with 8 years of experience supporting adults, couples, and teens through anxiety, trauma, depression, burnout and relationship issues. Trained in EFT, CBT, and EMDR, she takes a direct and compassionate approach to help clients move from surviving to thriving. She offers virtual psychotherapy across Canada and is current accepting clients.
Iriny Salib-Sharkawy
Registered Social Worker
Therapy Collective
Registered Psychologist/Counselling Therapist/Certified Counsellor
We are a group practice with psychologists, CCC's, CT's, and a therapy dog who offer counselling and formal psycho-educational assessments. We cover a broad range of presenting concerns for children, youth, families, couples, and individuals. We offer a variety of approaches as well: EMDR, Cognitive-Hypnotherapy, Art Therapy, Play-Based Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Attachment-Based, Somatic.
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.
Zarifa Andani
MPCC-P, RTC-C
This work isn’t about fixing your parts—it’s about helping you feel more like your whole self again. We can work together to slow down, get curious, and listen deeply. Our internal body wisdom is an integral source of information that speaks more significantly than words. Real change is possible when ALL of you feels safe enough to be seen and supported, just as you are.
Ivana Stanic
Registered Social Worker
I'm Ivana Stanic, MSW, RSW, offering individual and couples therapy for anxiety, trauma, ADHD, and relationship patterns including communication, trust, emotional connection, and life transitions. My approach draws on Gottman Method, EFT, CBT, and EMDR, built on six years of experience in the mental health field. I see clients virtually across Ontario and in person in Hamilton.
Cierra DoCouto
Registered Psychotherapist
Helping adults in Burlington, Ontario navigate anxiety, self-esteem challenges, relationship concerns, and attachment patterns. Offering in-person and virtual psychotherapy that is collaborative, evidence-informed, and tailored to support personal growth, emotional well-being, and resilience.
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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.