The effects of trauma aren’t always visible, but their impact can be deeply felt in relationships, sleep, emotions, and even the body. Many clients come to SL Psychotherapy and Wellness in Kanata and Nepean, neighbourhoods in Ottawa, Ontario, struggling with experiences they haven’t been able to shake off. Understanding PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a solid starting point for healing.
PTSD doesn’t only affect veterans or people who’ve survived catastrophic events. It can follow any distressing experience that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope, such as a car accident, sexual assault, medical trauma, or childhood abuse. Sometimes, PTSD appears right away. Other times, it shows up months or even years later in ways people don’t expect.
What PTSD Can Feel Like
For many, PTSD brings a combination of symptoms that interfere with everyday life. Flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts are common. Some people begin to avoid places, people, or conversations that remind them of the event, while others feel constantly on edge, easily startled, or emotionally numb. Anger and shame may surface without warning, often making it hard to maintain close connections.
Anxiety is often a part of the experience, as is difficulty concentrating or sleeping. These symptoms aren’t signs of weakness, but rather that the nervous system is stuck in survival mode.
How Therapy Can Help
At Ottawa’s SL Psychotherapy and Wellness, therapy is not one-size-fits-all. Our Kanata and Nepean-based trauma trained clinicians work with each client to create a treatment plan based on how trauma has affected them personally. We offer individual therapy for PTSD and trauma recovery, as well as relationship therapy for those who are working through the impact of trauma within an intimate partnership.
One approach we often use is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). This method helps the brain change how it stores distressing memories, so they no longer feel as threatening or overwhelming. For many, this can bring meaningful relief, even when other forms of therapy haven’t worked.
Another approach used in our clinic is Somatic Experiencing. During Somatic Experiencing sessions, practitioners help clients complete self-protective motor responses, effectively work through activation (stress) and deactivation (returning to safety) cycles thus supporting the whole mind-body system to work in sync and with appropriate responses to their current environment. This body-based approach doesn’t require you to verbalize the trauma story.
When Trauma Affects Intimacy
Sometimes, trauma and PTSD disrupt sexual connection or cause anxiety around physical closeness. Our practice includes sex therapy as part of a comprehensive approach, recognizing that healing sometimes involves reclaiming comfort and trust in the body. Therapy that includes open, nonjudgmental conversations about intimacy can be an important step toward rebuilding healthy connections.
Take the Next Step toward Recovery
Our therapists provide safe, compassionate spaces in-person in Kanata and Nepean and online for Ontario residents where healing can begin. PTSD is challenging, but it is treatable. With the right support, people do recover.
If trauma has taken hold of your daily life, there’s no need to keep going through it alone. Reach out to SL Psychotherapy and Wellness by calling (613) 762-8251.