Mindfulness-based, trauma-informed counselling
Understanding the mind-body-spirit connection to heal from trauma
Mindfulness means being aware and present with reality - at a physiological and psychological level. Our reality, which is impacted by our personal experiences, biology, history, culture, and society. It allows us to explore and experience all the things we would rather avoid or ignore, in a compassionate and safe manner. It is the process of befriending ourselves unconditionally. Relating to ourselves with kindness can help us overcome our limitations and heal from traumas that we did not choose. What happened to us is not our fault. We deserve healing. We deserve to be peaceful. We deserve to thrive.
I have had a personal mindfulness practice for a decade. My work with clients is influenced by my own experience of using mindfulness to heal from trauma. I have a Master's in Social Work and formal training in EMDR, Brainspotting, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Brief Solution-Focussed Therapy. I have completed 300+ hours of yoga teacher training, with a focus on trauma-informed movement and meditation.
What to expect
Our bodies are like libraries. They keep a record of everything we experience. The good, bad, traumatic. To tap into that intimate knowledge of yourself, we will use mindfulness strategies like breathwork, meditative reflections, and gentle movements. We will equip you with strategies that will empower you to support yourself as move forward in your healing.
Sessions can include conversation, storytelling, gentle movements, and breathwork, meditation, and silence. There may be some homework from time to time.
How can mindfulness help
Mindfulness-based approaches are helpful in managing chronic illness, caregiver stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, body image issues, low self-esteem, grief, divorce/separation, among many other challenges.
Depending on what you wish to address, we choose the strategy that works best. For instance, to manage anxiety, insomnia, and stress, we would learn grounding and relaxation strategies. To cope with grief, divorce, chronic illness, we would use compassion-based strategies. If you wish to tackle active trauma response, we would use somatic movement, gentle yoga and breathwork.
Each session can be different based on how your healing progresses and which strategies you find most beneficial.
Together, we can create a safe space for you to learn about your coping patterns, build your resilience, nurture your relationship with yourself and those in your life.
Having a good experience in a therapy
Therapy is a great way to empower oneself. However, coming to therapy is part of the work. Applying the learnings and strategies to one's daily life is the most efficient way to get the maximum benefit. It is important to communicate honestly with your therapist. Expect that you may feel worse after some sessions, especially after talking about difficult, unprocessed situations. Be patient and committed to your growth.
Best practices:
A. Keep a log of your progress - journalling.
B. Keep your post-therapy schedule light to allow for space to process or ground yourself.
C. If resources permit, schedule regular appointments for the first few sessions at least. Generally a gap of 1-2 weeks is beneficial early on.