Trauma Clinic
At Serene Woods Psychotherapy, we specialize in children, adults, couples, and families who have experienced chronic or acute trauma (current or historical). Our work is grounded in safety, choice, and respect for your lived experience.
You are not broken. Your system adapted to survive.
Learn to breathe again. To feel safe again…
Safety, Choice, and Healing
At Serene Woods Psychotherapy, trauma-informed care is not a buzzword — it is the foundation of how we practice therapy.
Trauma-informed therapy shifts the focus from “What happened to you?” to “How can we support your responses?” It recognizes that trauma shapes how we feel, think, relate to others, and experience safety in the world. Responses are not signs of weakness — they are survival strategies developed in response to overwhelming experiences.
All of our therapists are trauma-informed and trauma-trained, with specialized education beyond graduate-level entry-to-practice training. We work thoughtfully and safely with complex trauma, PTSD, intergenerational trauma and much more, understanding that healing requires more than surface-level coping skills.
Take the first step toward healing:
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We created the Trauma Clinic at Serene Woods Psychotherapy to provide specialized, compassionate care for people whose lives have been affected by trauma. Trauma can result from many experiences—work-related incidents, accidents, abuse, or other distressing events—and it can impact mental health, relationships, and daily functioning.
Our goal is to offer a safe, understanding space where individuals can:
Process and heal from trauma at their own pace
Learn coping strategies and build resilience
Receive support from clinicians who truly understand the impact of trauma
Many of our team members have lived experience supporting or working alongside individuals affected by trauma, which helps us approach therapy with empathy, insight, and respect. We know that trauma affects not only those who experience it directly but also families and communities, and our clinic was designed to meet these needs with expertise and care.
Healing is possible, and seeking support is a courageous first step.
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Getting started with therapy at Serene Woods Psychotherapy is simple. You can reach out directly or connect through a referral—whichever is easiest for you.
Contact Us Directly: Call 613-600-5322 or email our clinic to book an appointment (admin@mycounselling.ca). We’ll guide you through scheduling, answer your questions, and discuss whether in-person or virtual sessions work best for you.
Referral: A health professional or you can complete a referral from our website. Once we receive it, we’ll reach out to help you schedule your first session.
Our team is here to make the process straightforward and supportive, so you can start focusing on your wellbeing without unnecessary delays.
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We have extensive experience in trauma processing, including but not limited to:
Single-incident trauma
Complex or repetitive trauma
Abuse trauma
Developmental trauma
Intergenerational trauma
Historical or collective trauma
Grief and loss trauma
Medical and health-related trauma
Vicarious trauma
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At Serene Woods Psychotherapy, we support clients experiencing current trauma that has just occurred, as well as historical or past trauma.
Whether you are processing recent events or working through long-standing experiences, our goal is to provide a safe, compassionate space to explore your feelings, build coping strategies, and begin healing at your own pace.
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Serene Woods Psychotherapy operates Monday to Sunday (day and evening) by appointment only. Our therapists have dedicated sessions for the Trauma Clinic across their schedules.
To schedule a session or get answers to your questions, please call our main line at 613‑600‑5322. We strive to respond promptly and accommodate your scheduling needs whenever possible.
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We understand that times of significant events or processing can feel overwhelming, and immediate support is often needed. That’s why we offer dedicated urgent sessions, doing our best to provide an appointment within 72 hours.
Our goal is to ensure you receive timely, compassionate care when you need it most, in a safe and supportive environment.
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If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency or immediate risk, please contact 911 (or your local emergency services) right away.
Serene Woods Psychotherapy is not a crisis call centre or emergency department, and we are unable to provide immediate emergency response.
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Sessions at Serene Woods Psychotherapy can be conducted virtually for your convenience, or in person at our clinic: 99 Kakulu Rd, Suite 213, Kanata ON.
We strive to offer flexible options to ensure you can access the support you need in a safe and comfortable setting.
Types of Trauma We Support
Trauma looks different for everyone. It may include:
Single-incident trauma – a sudden, unexpected event that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope.
Complex or repetitive trauma – ongoing or repeated exposure to threatening or harmful situations over time.
Abuse trauma – trauma resulting from harmful treatment by others. Subtypes include:
Physical abuse – hitting, slapping, burning, restraints, or other forms of bodily harm
Emotional or psychological abuse – belittling, manipulation, constant criticism, gaslighting
Sexual abuse – unwanted sexual contact or coercion
Neglect – failure to provide basic emotional, physical, or educational needs
Financial or economic abuse – controlling or restricting access to money or resources
Developmental trauma – trauma experienced during key stages of childhood that disrupts normal growth, attachment, or emotional development.
Intergenerational trauma – trauma that is passed down through family patterns and experiences
Historical or collective trauma – affecting communities or groups, often stemming from systemic oppression, colonization, displacement, or widespread societal violence.
Grief and loss trauma – profound loss that overwhelms coping abilities (e.g., death of a loved one, walking away from a person, pregnancy experiences, pet loss or other loss)
Medical and health-related trauma – trauma resulting from serious illness, near-death experience, invasive medical procedures, surgery, or life-altering diagnoses.
Vicarious trauma – repeated exposure to other people’s traumatic experiences, often affecting therapists, healthcare workers, first responders, caregivers, and others in helping roles.
You don’t need to fit neatly into one category — your experience is valid.
What Trauma-Informed Therapy Feels Like Here
Our space is designed to feel safe, calm, and human. You’re welcome to kick off your shoes, curl up with a blanket, or take your time finding your words. Therapy is collaborative — you set the pace, and your voice matters.
For children, our play therapy room offers toys and creative ways to express difficult feelings, helping hard conversations feel more accessible and less overwhelming.
Funding
We have therapists who accept funding from:
Other non-insurance funding? Contact to find out if you are covered.
Insurance accepted.
Honoring Your Journey: Stages of Trauma Processing
Healing from trauma is deeply personal, and every path is unique. At Serene Woods Psychotherapy, we recognize the courage it takes to seek support, and we meet you with compassion, empathy, and respect for the strength you bring to your own journey. While healing doesn’t follow a rigid timeline, trauma processing often unfolds in stages that help you reclaim safety, power, and hope:
1. Creating Safety and Stability
The first step is acknowledging that you deserve to feel safe. This stage focuses on grounding, emotional regulation, and building practical tools to navigate overwhelming feelings. It’s about honoring your need for stability and giving yourself permission to pause, breathe, and care for your wellbeing.
2. Acknowledging and Exploring Your Experience
With a foundation of safety, you can begin to gently face what happened. This stage is about validating your experiences, naming the feelings and thoughts connected to them, and processing them at a pace that feels manageable. Here, you are not defined by your trauma—you are actively reclaiming your narrative.
3. Integrating and Reclaiming Meaning
Trauma can shift how we see ourselves and the world. In this stage, we work together to make sense of your experiences, challenge unhelpful beliefs, and recognize the resilience you’ve already shown. The focus is on transforming the story of your trauma into a story of survival, strength, and self-discovery.
4. Reconnection, Growth, and Renewal
Healing is also about returning to life with renewed confidence, curiosity, and hope. This stage is about reconnecting with yourself, your relationships, and the world around you—celebrating the growth you’ve achieved and the inner strength that carried you this far.
A Gentle Reminder: Healing is not linear. It’s normal to revisit stages, experience setbacks, or move at your own rhythm. At Serene Woods Psychotherapy, we honor your resilience every step of the way, providing support that is empathetic, empowering, and centered on your strengths.
Leave the hurt behind
Find support today.