Why we start with safety, not the story
Trauma therapy is not about making you relive the worst moments of your life. Good trauma care starts with steadiness: understanding your reactions, finding ways to settle your body when it is flooded, and building trust in the pace of the work. Only then, if and when you are ready, do we turn more directly to painful memories. You stay in charge of how fast we go, and you can always slow down or stop.
What trauma can look like
- Memories, nightmares or flashbacks that feel as if it is happening again
- Feeling on edge, jumpy or unable to relax
- Avoiding places, people or conversations that remind you of what happened
- Feeling numb, cut off, or far away from yourself
- Shame, guilt or a sense that it was your fault
- Old patterns from childhood that still shape how you feel and relate to others
Trauma can come from a single event, or from harm that happened again and again, including in childhood. You do not need to decide whether what you went through "counts" before you reach out.
EMDR therapy
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a structured therapy for working with distressing memories. During EMDR, you briefly bring a memory to mind while following a back-and-forth stimulus, such as eye movements or tapping. The aim is to help the memory feel less raw in the present.
EMDR is one of the therapies for post-traumatic stress recognized in international clinical guidelines. It is not the right fit for everyone or for every moment, though. There is always preparation first, and we decide together whether and when to use it. I offer EMDR both online, by secure video, and in person in Maple.
My training also includes CBT for trauma and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), so EMDR is one option among several. The tools serve the work. They are not the frame for it.
Who this is for
This is for people in Ontario who are living with the effects of something painful: a frightening event, a loss, ongoing harm, or a childhood that left marks. You may know exactly what happened, or you may only know that something feels stuck.
It may not be the right fit if you are in active crisis or at immediate risk to your safety, which needs same-day care. I also do not provide custody assessments, court-ordered evaluations or formal psychological testing.
How sessions work
- 1A free 15-minute call. We talk briefly about what is going on and whether I am the right fit. If I am not, I will help you find someone who is.
- 2Your first session. We talk about what brings you in and what you want to be different. You do not have to tell the whole story at once.
- 3Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes, by secure video or in person in Maple. We start with stability and coping, and move at a pace that feels manageable to you.
Questions about trauma therapy
Do I have to talk about everything that happened?
No. You decide what to share and when. Much of the early work focuses on how you are coping now. Some people never go into every detail, and the work can still be meaningful.
How do I know if EMDR is right for me?
We talk about it once I understand what you are carrying and how you are coping day to day. If EMDR seems like a good fit, I explain how it works and we prepare first. If it does not, we use other approaches.
Can trauma therapy be done online?
Many people do trauma therapy, including EMDR, by secure video. Research has generally found that video therapy can work about as well as in-person therapy for many people, including for trauma. If you would rather sit in a room, I also see people in person in Maple.
Is it confidential?
Yes. As a Registered Social Worker I follow strict confidentiality rules. The limits, such as safety and the law, are explained at the start.
If you are in crisis in Canada, call or text 9-8-8 any time, or call 911 if you are in immediate danger.
Ali Raza Hasan Ali, MSW, RSW. Registered Social Worker, Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, #849046. This page is general information, not clinical advice.