Kindly review our updated billing policies and procedures prior to attending your appointment. Questions can be sent to info@wholetherapy.ca

View Billing Policies and Procedures
Trauma therapy session at Wholetherapy
Our Services

Trauma Recovery

Trauma lives in the body, not just the mind. Our clinicians specialize in the approaches that help your nervous system finally feel safe again.

Book a Free Consultation Find Your Therapist
Understanding Trauma

Why thinking about it isn't enough

Trauma isn't just a memory. It's a physiological experience that gets stored in your nervous system in ways that affect how you feel, react, and connect with people, often long after the events themselves are over.

That's why understanding what happened to you intellectually doesn't usually bring relief. Your nervous system doesn't respond to logic. It responds to felt safety, to pacing, and to approaches designed specifically to work where trauma actually lives.

That's what we do. It's our specialty.

Therapist in conversation with client
Signs You Might Benefit

Trauma doesn't always look like what you'd expect

Most people don't think of their experiences as "trauma." They just know something feels wrong and they can't shift it on their own.

You feel constantly on edge or hypervigilant, even when nothing's happening
You get triggered in ways that feel out of proportion to the situation
You've tried to understand your patterns and still can't seem to change them
You feel disconnected from yourself, from people you love, or emotionally numb
You have trouble sleeping, focusing, or feeling safe in your own body
You carry shame or self-blame that doesn't shift no matter what you do
Relationships feel hard or unsafe in ways you can't quite explain
You feel like you're functioning on the outside but struggling on the inside
Our Approaches

Evidence-based therapies for trauma recovery

There's no one-size-fits-all approach here. Your therapist will draw on the methods that fit your history, your nervous system, and your goals.

EMDR Therapy
Our core specialty. Uses bilateral stimulation to help your brain reprocess traumatic memories so they no longer carry the same weight. Learn more about EMDR therapy in Halifax and Dartmouth.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Works with the protective parts of you that developed in response to trauma, helping them soften so deeper healing can happen.
Somatic Approaches
Body-based methods that meet trauma where it lives, in your nervous system, through breath, movement, and physical sensation.
Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR)
A neurobiologically informed approach for shock and attachment trauma, working at the brainstem level where the earliest responses live.
Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT)
Looks at how early attachment shaped your emotional patterns, and helps you build a more secure relationship with yourself.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
A structured approach for working through the stuck beliefs trauma creates around safety, trust, control, and self-worth.
Our Clinical Standard

Trauma work needs more than good intentions

"Trauma-informed" gets thrown around a lot. At Wholetherapy, it means something specific. Our team works in a consultation-rich clinical environment that includes EMDRIA Approved Consultants, certified trauma therapists, and structured supervision.

Complex trauma, developmental trauma, and attachment injury require clinical depth that goes beyond standard training. That's our specialty. It's where our team does its best work.

Common Questions

Questions about trauma therapy

Do I need a formal trauma diagnosis to get help? ↓
No. You don't need a PTSD diagnosis or any other label to benefit from trauma-informed therapy. If something happened that still affects how you feel, think, or connect with others, that's enough reason to reach out.
Will I have to talk about everything that happened? ↓
No. A lot of the approaches we use, including EMDR, don't require detailed verbal disclosure. Your therapist will follow your lead and won't ever push you to share more than you're ready to.
How long does trauma therapy take? ↓
It depends on what you're working through. Some people notice big shifts in a few months. Others working with complex or developmental trauma find it's a longer process. Your therapist will discuss a realistic timeline with you early on.
Is trauma therapy covered by insurance? ↓
Most major insurance providers cover therapy with a registered clinician. The exact coverage depends on your plan. Get in touch before your first session and we can help you figure out what's covered.
Accepting new clients

Start with a free 15-minute consult

These clinicians are currently accepting new clients, in person in Dartmouth or via online trauma therapy anywhere in Nova Scotia. The consult is free, 15 minutes, and there is no obligation to book a session afterward — it is a chance to ask how they work with trauma before you commit.

Mitzi Mitchell, MSW

Clinical Specialist · EMDR Trained · Military, Veteran & RCMP Clients · NIHB Approved Provider

Book a free consult

Sumi Iqbal, MA

Registered Counselling Therapist Candidate · EMDR Trained · IFHP Provider

Book a free consult

Charise Besson, MA

Registered Counselling Therapist Candidate · EMDR Trained

Book a free consult

Avani Santhoshkumar, MA

Registered Counselling Therapist Candidate · EMDR Trained · IFHP Provider

Book a free consult

Not sure who is the right fit? Meet the full team, see trauma therapists serving Halifax, or send us a message and we will help you find a match.

You don't have to keep managing it alone.

No referral required. Most insurance accepted. We'll match you with the right therapist for what you're working through.

Book a Free Consultation Take the Therapist Quiz