Trauma

Trauma occurs when we experience highly emotional, distressing and/or shocking events. These experiences become stored in structures deep in the brain and produce lasting emotional, mental, physical and spiritual effects. It overwhelms our ability to deal with thoughts and emotions associated with the events and, in fact, can destroy our overall sense of connection, control and meaning. The reactions may be delayed for weeks, months or even years and can continue to interfere with our ability to cope with stress. The reactions often include flashbacks of the events, feelings of helplessness and vulnerability, anxiety, depression, low self esteem, memory problems, anger, absence of feeling, pain, illness, despair, relationship problems, addiction, and can affect work, school and our ability to manage day-to-day life situations.

Trauma treatment can take many different routes and not everyone benefits from even the most popular modalities. Interventions should be based on symptoms, client personality, preferences, history and desired outcomes. Building a trusting counsellor-client relationship is critical, and is a precursor to effective treatment. Many individuals who have been traumatized, particularly by assault, have lost trust in themselves and in others and need to develop a belief in their ability to control their own thoughts, behaviours and emotions, and to have some influence over the behaviour of others towards them.

Building emotional “scaffolding”, creating a sense of efficacy, dealing with troubling thoughts, addressing somatic (bodily) symptoms, decreasing emotional arousal, staying oriented to the present and creating new, healthy behaviour patterns are some of the goals of treatment.

Trauma services are offered as follows:

Individual sessions tailored to your particular needs
Cost: $165/1 hour session
2 day workshop offered at your site/location
Cost: $3350 plus expenses

*The option of holding sessions at your site offers the benefits of convenience, reduced cost, and some flexibility with course content. The above prices are based upon services delivered in the lower mainland vicinity of British Columbia but , upon request, pricing can be provided for delivering the program in your community.

Workshops

Pieces Coming Together

This workshop has been developed to provide an intensive healing experience for 1st Nations people affected by colonization and, more specifically, by the effects of residential school. It is available either as a two-day workshop, offering traditional healing activities and mainstream information and strategies, or as a one-day module focused on just the mainstream psychological theory and interventions.

Individual trauma can produce severe and pervasive damage to emotional functioning, attachment relationships, cognitive skills, physical health, and can contribute to addiction, abuse and problems with education and employment. Trauma that has occurred in the context of residential school and its aftermath is even more serious and complex because of the assault on culture and the damage to the social and spiritual fabric of 1st Nations people as an entity. Healing is markedly more difficult when entire families and even whole communities are consumed by grief, anger and sickness.

Pieces Coming Together starts with information on what trauma is, how it manifests in the brain and the process by which the altered neurochemistry produces traumatic damage to the thinking, feeling, behavioural and spiritual self. This is framed in the culturally specific experiences of 1st Nations people, so that participants understand the impact of these experiences and how they lead to particular functional problems in intimate relationships, socialization, work and overall health.

Once participants have an understanding of the traumatisation experience, healing and treatment options are presented and practiced. Mainstream strategies focus on managing the negative thoughts, overcoming depression and anxiety, and reducing somatic (bodily) pain and discomfort. Traditional activities include brushing off, smudging, creating medicine pouches, blanket and welcoming home ceremonies, that focus on mending and strengthening the spirit. This component of the workshop can be co-presented by a local community healer or traditional person. Some communities choose to conclude the workshop with a feast.

This workshop is offered as follows:

2 day workshop offered at your site/location
Cost: $3350 plus expenses
1 day workshop offered at your site/location
Cost: $1750 plus expenses