Trauma results from exposure to an event or series of events that a person experiences as emotionally overwhelming, distressing, or life-threatening. Trauma can impact an individual’s emotional, mental, physical, relational, and even spiritual wellbeing. These experiences may overwhelm a person’s ability to cope and can create lasting effects on how they feel, think, relate to others, and experience safety in the world.
Yes. Every person responds to traumatic or highly stressful experiences differently. Two people may experience the same event but react in very different ways based on factors such as past experiences, emotional support, coping skills, nervous system responses, and overall life circumstances.
Some individuals experience symptoms immediately after a traumatic event, while others may not notice the effects until months or years later.
Trauma can result from many different experiences, including:
Trauma is not defined only by the event itself, but also by how the experience impacts the individual emotionally and neurologically.
Trauma may affect emotions, thoughts, behaviours, physical health, and relationships. Some common trauma responses include:
Symptoms may appear differently in children, teens, and adults.
Yes. Trauma often affects a person’s sense of emotional safety, trust, and connection with others. Individuals who have experienced trauma may struggle with vulnerability, emotional closeness, fear of abandonment, emotional reactivity, or difficulty trusting others.
Trauma can impact relationships with partners, children, family members, friends, and coworkers. Therapy can help individuals better understand these patterns and begin rebuilding healthy connection and emotional safety.
Yes. Some individuals develop coping mechanisms to try to manage emotional pain, stress, or nervous system overwhelm. This may include emotional withdrawal, unhealthy eating patterns, substance use, overworking, avoidance, or other behaviours intended to reduce distress.
Trauma therapy can help individuals develop healthier coping strategies, emotional regulation skills, and greater self-awareness.
Yes. Children and teens can be deeply affected by traumatic or emotionally overwhelming experiences. Trauma in children may appear as behavioural changes, emotional outbursts, anxiety, withdrawal, school difficulties, sleep issues, emotional dysregulation, or relationship struggles.
At WJW Counselling and Mediation, we provide trauma-informed therapy for children, teens, adults, couples, and families.
Trauma therapy helps individuals process difficult experiences, improve emotional regulation, develop healthier coping strategies, strengthen relationships, and rebuild a sense of safety and connection. Therapy may involve approaches such as EMDR, attachment-based therapy, nervous system regulation, cognitive and emotional processing, and trauma-informed counselling.
Treatment is individualized based on each person’s experiences, goals, and emotional needs.
Yes. WJW Counselling and Mediation offers trauma therapy in St. Albert, Edmonton and Peace River as well as virtual trauma counselling across Alberta. Our therapists support children, teens, adults, couples, and families experiencing trauma, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, relationship difficulties, and other trauma-related concerns.
At WJW Counselling and Mediation, we offer trauma therapy with EMDR Certified and EMDR-trained therapists in St. Albert, Edmonton, and virtually across Alberta. Finding a Certified therapist is difficult, it is important to have a Certified therapist who has been supervised with numerous hours of experience.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based trauma therapy approach designed to help individuals process distressing memories, reduce emotional reactivity, and support nervous system healing following traumatic or overwhelming experiences. EMDR therapy helps the brain reprocess experiences that may feel “stuck,” allowing individuals to move toward healing, emotional regulation, and reduced distress.
Yes. WJW Counselling and Mediation offers trauma therapy with EMDR Certified and EMDR-trained therapists in St. Albert, Edmonton, Peace River, and virtually across Alberta.
EMDR therapy may help individuals experiencing:
EMDR can be beneficial for both recent and longstanding traumatic experiences.
No. While EMDR is widely known for trauma treatment, it may also help individuals struggling with anxiety, negative self-beliefs, emotional triggers, performance anxiety, grief, and other emotionally distressing experiences that continue to affect daily functioning.
Yes. Some of our therapists work with children and teenagers using trauma-informed and developmentally appropriate approaches, including EMDR therapy where clinically appropriate. Therapy is tailored to the child or teen’s emotional needs, developmental stage, and comfort level.
EMDR therapy begins with building emotional safety, coping skills, and trust with your therapist before processing difficult experiences. Sessions may involve identifying distressing memories, emotions, body sensations, and beliefs connected to past experiences while using bilateral stimulation techniques to support processing and healing.
Your therapist will guide the process at a pace that feels safe and manageable.
Yes. WJW Counselling and Mediation offers virtual EMDR therapy across Alberta when clinically appropriate. Virtual EMDR can provide flexible access to trauma therapy for individuals living outside of St. Albert and Edmonton, including rural and remote communities.
EMDR therapy may be helpful if past experiences continue to affect your emotions, relationships, nervous system, self-esteem, or daily functioning. During the intake process, your therapist can help determine whether EMDR or another trauma therapy approach would best support your needs and goals.
WJW Counselling provides effective and evidence-based treatment to people of all genders and ages to help them cope and move past trauma. Including EMDR for Adults and Youth.
