Your life feels shattered into pieces. One day you’re managing okay, and the next, a sound, a smell, or a glance spirals you back into memories you’d rather forget. Friends say, “move on” or “let it go,” but what they don’t understand is how deeply trauma rewires the brain and body.
This isn’t about erasing the past but about equipping you with the strength to find meaning and acceptance beyond it.
At Ontario Therapy, conveniently located at 200 Wellington Street East in the heart of Aurora, we specialize in Trauma Therapy—a compassionate and effective approach designed for those who have endured life’s most difficult experiences. Trauma therapy doesn’t dismiss or undermine your past—it helps you make peace with it, empowering you to live fully in the present.
A 29-year-old in Oak Ridges, Elena appears vibrant and confident. Yet, the everyday stressors often send her into a panic. The sound of shouting draws her back into the chaos of her childhood home. Friends notice her withdrawing, but she can't help feeling constantly on edge and hypervigilant.
At 40, Thomas has what looks like a picture-perfect Aurora life—a successful career, a loving family—but inside, he grapples with the shadow of early childhood trauma. Public speaking paralyzes him with fear, and any sign of conflict sends him into retreat. He wonders if he can ever fully embrace his potential without the haunting presence of the past.
A 23-year-old living in Nobleton, Charlotte battles daily with emotional upheaval. When her roommate moves out unexpectedly, she feels abandoned and struggles to find stability. She's turned to temporary fixes, like emotional eating, to cope, which only deepens her frustration and guilt. Late at night, she often finds herself searching "how to find emotional balance" online, desperate for a steadier path.
Living in Holland Landing, Paul, 35, avoids relationships. After enduring a traumatic breakup, he’s built walls to shield himself from potential hurt. He craves connection but fears letting anyone get too close. His life feels like a lonely fortress, impenetrable but isolating.
As the mother of a 14-year-old in Richmond Hill, Lisa struggles with her son’s increasing withdrawal following a traumatic incident. The family’s attempts at showing support feel futile, and she’s afraid her son’s emotional resilience is diminishing. Conversations rarely go beyond the superficial, leaving her feeling helpless.
Sound familiar? Your trauma experiences are not a life sentence—they’re a part of your story, and we can help you find a path to healing.
Start with a comprehensive 90-minute assessment to determine if trauma therapy suits your needs and tailor a treatment strategy.
If you’re experiencing an immediate crisis or distress:
Hyperarousal: Feeling overly alert; the world feels dangerous. Common sounds become threats. Your startle responses are heightened, and peace seems elusive.
Intrusive Memories: Flashbacks and nightmares haunt you. They appear uninvited amid daily tasks or during quiet moments, pulling you back to another time.
Avoidance: Avoiding reminders of past trauma—places, people, or activities—becomes a norm. You create barriers to keep discomfort at bay.
Negative Thoughts: Persistent gloom clouds your mind. Feelings of guilt, shame, and self-doubt become ingrained.
Emotional Numbing: Disconnecting from emotions feels safer. Joy is muted, connections are distant, and the world feels gray.
Identity Challenges: Unsure about who you are beyond your trauma, you struggle to ground yourself. Uncertainties cloud your view of your capabilities and potential.
Most therapies target the mind but may overlook trauma’s unique effects on the body and nervous system. Effective trauma therapy requires a holistic approach that engages both mind and body.
Gaining Insight vs. Bodily Healing: Talking about trauma can deepen understanding but often misses the somatic element—how trauma resides and manifests in the body.
Nonlinear Progress: Healing isn’t a straightforward path. Traditional therapy may lack the flexibility to accommodate trauma’s unpredictable nature in recovery.
Complex Triggers: Simplified solutions, like “stay positive,” don’t acknowledge trauma’s deep-seated and varied triggers.
Fragmented Support: Weekly sessions might feel sporadic, leaving gaps during overwhelming times. Trauma therapy provides continuity and adaptive support.
Personalized Coping Mechanisms: Generic solutions fail when trauma interrupts daily life. You need tailored techniques honed to meet your need for safety and stability.
Trauma Therapy implements a multi-faceted approach designed specifically for trauma survivors. Here’s what makes it unique:
Body-Centered Strategies: Recognizes the embodiment of trauma memories, integrating mindful movement and breathwork to foster healing.
Narrative Reconstruction: Helps you safely revisit and reshape your story, reclaiming your narrative on your terms.
Safety and Grounding Techniques: Develops practical methods to anchor you during moments of distress, reinforcing a sense of safety.
Resilience Building: Focuses on capacities for inner strength you possess, magnifying them to outshine the past’s hold.
Mind-Body Mindfulness: Integrates awareness practices to synchronize your physical and emotional responses, enhancing equilibrium.
Self-Compassion Techniques: Cultivates tenderness and understanding toward self, nurturing profound internal recovery.
Are you ready to turn the page on trauma and embrace a fuller, more vibrant life? Reach out to us at Ontario Therapy to start your healing journey. Call us today or visit us at 200 Wellington Street East, Aurora, to schedule your first session. Let us help you uncover your resilience and reclaim your life.
Mindfulness in trauma therapy isn’t just about meditation—it’s about being present in the now, allowing you to break free from past pain.
Core Mindfulness Techniques:
Observe: Witness your emotions and thoughts without judgment
Describe: Articulate experiences without adding subjective interpretation
Engage: Be fully involved in the current moment, detaching from past trauma
Non-judgmentally: Accept emotions without labeling them as “positive” or “negative”
One-mindfully: Concentrate on a single task, avoiding emotional overload
Effectively: Do what best serves your healing rather than what past pain dictates
What This Looks Like in Practice: Instead of “I’m haunted by my past and it’s unbearable,” you learn to articulate, “I notice feelings of distress when I think about certain memories. These emotions are temporary, and I can handle them.”
In times of distress, the goal is not instant relief, but enduring the moment without resorting to harmful actions.
Crisis Survival Skills:
TIPP (Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, Paired muscle relaxation): Quick methods to soothe your system during distress
Distracting: Find healthy distractions to shift attention away from distress temporarily
Self-soothing: Comfort yourself using sensory experiences
Improving the moment: Small steps to make a distressing situation bearable
Acceptance and Endurance Skills:
Reality Acceptance: Begin to embrace situations you cannot change
Distress Tolerance: Strengthening your resilience to sit with difficult emotions
Willingness vs. Willfulness: Lean towards effective responses over rigid resistance
What This Prevents: Self-harming behaviors, substance abuse, abrupt outbursts, inattentive driving, impulsive purchases, reactionary messages, abrupt life decisions.
Understanding your emotions is crucial, learning why they emerge and how they can be influenced for your well-being.
Emotion Regulation Strategies:
Emotion Recognition: Accurately identify and name emotions
Emotion Functionality: Grasping the message underlying your feelings
Regulation Barriers: Identifying challenges to emotional control
Vulnerability Reduction: Adopting lifestyle shifts to lessen emotional reactivity
Opposite Action: Acting counter to your emotional urges when they’re unproductive
Building Mastery: Cultivate positive feelings and confidence through achievement
Building Positive Emotions:
Pleasant Activities: Deliberately plan enjoyable moments to counterbalance intensity
Achievement Experiences: Engage in activities that bolster competence and self-worth
Living by Values: Ensure your actions align with what fundamentally matters to you
What This Creates: Emotional stability, quicker recovery from emotional distress, values-driven decision-making, enhanced relationships, and self-esteem growth.
Relationships can trigger intense emotions. This module helps you skillfully manage these dynamics without losing emotional footing.
Relationship Skills:
DEAR MAN: Structured method for expressing needs or declining requests
GIVE: Maintain connection while advocating for personal needs
FAST: Uphold personal values and self-respect during interactions
Validation: Show understanding and emotional empathy for others
Navigating Conflicts:
Managing Relational Triggers: Recognize factors that amplify emotional reactions
Boundaries: Establish limits without inciting conflict
Relationship Repair: Mending bonds strained by reactive emotions
Securing Connections: Build stable, supportive relationships
What This Improves: Decreased relational drama, improved communication, stronger friendships, healthier romantic and familial bonds, strengthened work associations.
Choosing to specialize in trauma therapy was deliberate—a response to the many survivors misunderstood and insufficiently aided by traditional methods.
In-Field Trauma Therapy Experience:
Family counseling – implementing trauma-informed care with families
Rehabilitation centers – trauma therapy in overcoming substance dependencies
Crisis intervention – applying trauma skills in emergency mental health settings
Eating disorder recovery programs – addressing trauma-related body image concerns
Personalized private practice
I have intimate knowledge of trauma, both personally and professionally. I understand the overwhelming grip of past experiences. This lived experience, paired with extensive trauma-focused training, enables me to guide you with authentic empathy and expertise.
Nestled in the heart of Aurora, our center is a peaceful refuge ideal for engaging in trauma therapy—welcoming and conveniently located in this vibrant locale.
Why Our Location Facilitates Healing:
Tranquil setting – conducive atmosphere for therapeutic sessions
Varied seating – find comfort in diverse sitting options
Natural light access – aids mood stability and overall cheerfulness
Private, soundproof spaces – speak freely about sensitive issues
Easy to reach – no hassle with complex parking or directions
Convenient for Trauma Survivors:
Close proximity to Aurora GO Station and transit routes
Ample parking – access street spots and nearby facilities
Ground level entry – no stairs to navigate when in need
Surrounded by amenities – nearby cozy cafés for session reflections and parks like Aurora Arboretum for peaceful walks
From Newmarket: 10 minutes south – quick access via Bayview Avenue
From Richmond Hill: 15 minutes north, serving nearby residents focusing on healing
From Markham: 20 minutes west – ideal for urban dwellers
From Kettleby: 15 minutes east, extending support to York’s northern sector
Experience the liberation of trauma therapy in the comfort of your own surroundings, with many in Aurora finding virtual sessions uniquely beneficial for therapy integration.
Virtual Trauma Therapy Benefits:
At-home practice – Utilize skills in daily environments for effective application
Travel-free therapy – Avoid potential stressors of commuting
Immediate application – Incorporate personal items and familiar settings
Position-ready – Freely move as needed during sessions
Ability to maintain privacy – Remain discreet about therapy participation
Trauma-Specific Virtual Modifications:
Accessible materials – Digital worksheets and resources
Immediate support techniques – Skills you can activate on the spot
Interactive skills demo – Engage in skill-building online
On-call support – Real-time assistance for skill-related challenges
Group therapy available – Connect virtually with others undergoing trauma recovery
Tech-Ready for Trauma Care:
User-friendly platforms – Easy to navigate under emotional strain
Versatile communication – Opt for video, audio, or messaging based on comfort level
Recording sessions (with consent) – Review and consolidate learning
Crisis protocol clarity – Established procedures for virtual dilemmas
Backup contact pathways – Alternative methods if tech fails in critical moments
Trauma therapy kicks off with identifying emotional patterns, stressors, and current coping strategies—both effective and detrimental.
Assessment Overview:
Emotional pattern recognition: Where, when, and how emotions peak
Current coping evaluation: Current methods, including negative habits
Trigger tracing: Identifying provocative situations, individuals, or thoughts
Relationship insights: Influence of emotional responses on personal connections
Personal goals: Define desired changes in emotional experiences
Individualized safety planning: Strategies for managing overwhelming urges
Safety and Crisis Strategies:
Emergency kit creation: Tailored list of skills for intense moments
Network of support: Identify contacts for emotional emergencies
Chain analysis: Deconstruct behavior sequences that lead to distress
Commitment to progress: Prioritizing skill acquisition over problem discussion
Dive into the core of trauma therapy—principled learning of foundational skills, strengthened with practical application.
Skill-Building Framework:
Mindfulness introduction: 3-4 sessions for establishing observation and articulation techniques
Distress tolerance: 4-5 sessions focusing on crisis handling and reality acceptance
Emotional regulation: 5-6 sessions for deeper understanding and control
Relationship efficacy: 4-5 sessions refining interpersonal engagements
Practical Skill Application:
Daily tracking cards: Monitor emotions, impulses, and skill employment
Homework tasks: Engage in skill practice within familiar settings
Short crisis consultations: Quick assistance in challenging moments
Skill adaptation: Incorporate therapy tools into work and social life
Post-basic skills learning, therapy continues with advanced application and seamless daily life integration.
Focus of Advanced Therapy:
Complicated emotional contexts: Synthesize multiple therapy skills
Healing relationships: Rebuild connections marred by past trauma
Values reaffirmation: Guiding life decisions in alignment with core beliefs
Trauma processing: Safely navigate past events with established skills
Identity evolution: Embrace your self-image beyond trauma shadows
Relapse deterrence: Sustain skills through life transitions and hurdles
Sustaining Growth and Healing
Trauma therapy is a long-term commitment, rewarding those who continue skill refinement as life unfolds.
Long-lasting Therapy Benefits:
Regular check-ups: Skill refresh and resolution of new challenges
Refresher during adversity: Intensive guidance during tougher times
Collaborative therapy: Family or couple sessions under therapy tenets
Transitional support: Bolstering skills during significant life changes
Mindfulness evolution: Advanced techniques for lasting emotional harmony
Trauma therapy diverges from typical talk therapies by prioritizing tangible skills over mere discussion. It targets the emotional gaps rather than simply analyzing the past, often aiding individuals who have struggled with other methods.
The goal isn’t emotional suppression but management. Trauma therapy promotes experiencing your full emotional range while maintaining autonomy. Many report feeling their emotions more fully once they’re no longer controlled by them.
The therapy process is incremental, designed for those with intense emotional experiences. With dedicated practice and support, you will build these skills; the program caters precisely to those feelings of overwhelm.
While trauma therapy can extend over time, many witness emotional improvement rapidly. These abilities remain with you, forming a lifelong toolkit yielding long-term benefits.
Family education can be integrated into therapy. We promote comprehension among your loved ones, guiding them in nurturing your healing journey without inadvertently hindering it.
Trauma therapy enhances resilience across various conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD, among others. Skills acquired complement existing treatments positively.
Medication may support symptoms like anxiety while developing therapeutic skillsets. Trauma therapy is adaptable, with or without medication, often reducing reliance as progress is made.
Seeking emotional regulation support is widespread and normal. Individuals differ in emotional sensitivity, just like other innate traits—trauma therapy offers tools for better handling.
Trauma therapy involves developing specific strategies and backup plans for crises. Together, we will devise practical guides to manage such scenarios.
If your emotions feel overwhelming, impact daily activities, or dictate personal interactions, trauma therapy could serve you well by empowering emotional control and enhancing well-being.
Start your healing journey. Connect with us for expert trauma therapy a short drive from Aurora. Call us at (647) 855-0530 or visit our website to schedule a consultation.
During moments of acute anxiety (rated 8/10 or higher), these grounding techniques can help you reconnect to the present within 5-10 minutes. Grounding works by focusing your mind on your immediate experience, interrupting the anxiety spiral. It’s designed for times when you need immediate relief and other coping mechanisms aren’t at hand.
Visual Grounding:
Sensory Grounding:
Breath Awareness:
Body Scan:
Why Grounding Works: These techniques redirect your focus from the internal chaos of anxiety to the stable reality of your current environment. They calm your nervous system and ground you in the here and now.
When to Use Grounding: Use when anxiety reaches 8/10 or higher, when you’re facing flashbacks, during moments of dissociation, or whenever you need to reorient to the present.
After Using Grounding: Once your anxiety reduces to a manageable level, you can apply other trauma therapy techniques like exposure therapy or assertive communication more effectively.
Individual Trauma Therapy and Skills Training
Intensive trauma therapy that combines individual treatment with real-life skills application for profound healing.
Program Components:
Youth Trauma Support Program
Tailored trauma therapy for adolescents (ages 14-18) coping with anxiety, self-harm, or traumatic stress.
Youth-Specific Features:
Trauma Therapy for Families and Couples
Utilizing trauma-informed principles to enhance family dynamics and relationships affected by past trauma.
Family and Relationship Trauma Services:
Individual Trauma Therapy:
Sliding Scale and Accessibility:
We understand that trauma often affects financial stability and can impact work:
Trauma Therapy Investment Perspective:
Investing in trauma therapy is investing in your future. Clients report that healing from trauma:
General counseling focuses on diverse issues, while trauma therapy is specifically designed to address and heal the impacts of trauma. It equips you with tools to process and integrate traumatic experiences safely.
Absolutely. Trauma therapy effectively supports those with PTSD, anxiety disorders, and any situation where past trauma impacts current functioning.
While improvements can be seen within 2-3 months, substantial healing typically occurs over 6-12 months. Skills and insights develop further with continued practice.
Group therapy can provide peer support, but it’s not mandatory. We offer individualized therapy to meet you where you are comfortable.
Starting can feel daunting, but our process is gentle, meeting you at your pace. Individual sessions initially focus on building trust and safety.
Yes, trauma therapy addresses the underlying causes by providing healthier coping strategies.
It aims to empower you, honoring your experiences and using them as strengths.
While incorporating mindfulness, trauma therapy includes tailored interventions for trauma processing and symptom management.
Yes, family sessions can foster empathy and support healing in the whole family system.
We offer sliding scale fees, payment assistance, and several trauma therapy components are typically covered by health plans.
Southlake Regional Health Centre – crisis support and psychiatric coordination
York Region District School Board – school-based emotional support
Local family physicians – medication coordination when appropriate
Community mental health services – integrated care planning
Individual DBT Therapy:
DBT assessment and treatment planning (75 minutes): $200
Individual DBT sessions (60 minutes): $180-200
Crisis coaching sessions (30 minutes): $100
Family education sessions (60 minutes): $150
Comprehensive healing available via secure video sessions for anyone unable to access local specialized trauma therapy.
It might feel as if your trauma defines you, shadowing your every step. Maybe you think you’ll never have a peaceful night’s sleep, or that stable relationships are out of reach.
But what if it doesn’t have to be that way? What if your experiences, although painful, open the door to empathy, strength, and resilience you’ve yet to fully harness?
At Ontario Therapy in Aurora, we’ve witnessed many transform their lives by embracing understanding and compassion, not by forgetting or numbing their past.
Your trauma speaks of your sensitivity to life’s challenges. Rather than a weakness, it’s a capacity for profound connection waiting to be nurtured.
The young adult who used to self-isolate now thrives in social settings, sharing strength through volunteer work. The former victim of trauma who now empowers others through advocacy. The individual who found solace in destructive behaviors now creates art that heals both them and others.
Their stories didn’t fade away—they became chapters of success and strength.
Trauma therapy isn’t about erasing your past; it’s about re-writing your narrative. It’s about preserving your depth while nurturing resilience.
Your trauma experiences are like weather patterns—unpredictable and at times overwhelming. Trauma therapy teaches you to navigate through them, understanding and anticipating with clarity.
Our Aurora office offers a welcoming space for your healing journey, and our virtual sessions ensure support whenever and wherever you are. Our experienced therapists are ready to guide you on a path toward emotional freedom and strength.
contact
Make the bold choice to reclaim your life today:
Ontario Therapy
171 Main Street South
Newmarket, ON L3Y 4Z1
Providing expert trauma therapy to Aurora, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, East Gwillimbury, Stouffville, and communities throughout Ontario. With accessible fees, emergency support, and specialized techniques for trauma recovery, honoring your journey while building your resilience.
24/7 trauma support available via text for enrolled clients
