Find compassionate PTSD counselling in Kitchener-Waterloo. Heal from trauma, manage symptoms, and regain balance with personalized therapy and support.
When you’ve experienced or witnessed a deeply traumatic event, the effects of trauma can affect your life and your ability to function in lasting ways. At Upstream Counselling, we understand that PTSD involves complex experiences and symptoms that can make everyday life overwhelming. Our trauma-informed approach uses CBT, cognitive processing therapy, and cognitive therapy to treat PTSD and help you build healthier ways to cope. These evidence-based methods can reduce traumatic stress, distress, and stress disorder symptoms that often lead to PTSD.
We provide a safe and supportive space where you can process trauma memories and manage flashbacks without pressure or judgment. Together, we’ll work at your pace to address the behaviour and emotions keeping you stuck, helping you feel safer and regain control of your life.
Our specialized therapy for PTSD offers compassionate and evidence-based support to help you feel safe, rebuild trust, and regain stability. Through tailored interventions, we focus on both short-term relief and long-term recovery after exposure to trauma or a traumatic experience.
Our therapy helps you gain a renewed sense of control over your life by identifying triggers and understanding how physical sensations influence your reactions. With guided coping tools and self-awareness exercises, you’ll learn how to manage stress more easily and rebuild your confidence in everyday life.
Our therapy helps you gain a renewed sense of control over your life by identifying triggers and understanding how physical sensations influence your reactions. With guided coping tools and self-awareness exercises, you’ll learn how to manage stress more easily and rebuild your confidence in everyday life.
We teach practical skills to help manage common PTSD symptoms, such as anxiety, avoidance, and re-experiencing. Our sessions follow proven methods proven effective for PTSD, helping you face triggers with more confidence and take back control of your emotional well-being.
Our counselling helps you connect with others, whether it’s a family member or friends, by working through trust issues and communication barriers related to trauma. You’ll learn to rebuild closeness, express emotions safely, and nurture supportive bonds.
Develop healthier ways of thinking and coping mechanisms that replace unhelpful habits, such as turning to alcohol or drugs. By building emotional resilience, we help you improve mental health and maintain progress beyond therapy.
We support you in facing places or situations that remind you of the trauma, helping you try to reduce anxiety and avoidance behaviours. This allows you to re-engage with everyday activities and restore confidence in environments that once felt unsafe.
Take control of the process.
Beginning therapy can feel daunting but the truth is you decide what (and when) to share. Our diverse team specializes in a range of issues including anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and relationship issues. No matter your situation, we're here to support your journey to empowerment and mental wellness.
Your therapist is your guide.
Finding the right therapist is key to achieving your goals. Dip your toes into the therapy experience by booking a free consultation with one of our registered psychotherapists. These appointments are an opportunity to address your questions and explore your challenges, needs, and aspirations.
Commit to the experience.
To maximize the benefits of counselling it’s important you attend sessions consistently. When in session, we encourage you to lead the agenda. (Remember, this is YOUR therapy!) Between sessions, we hope you will strive to apply new insights, practice new skills, and develop new habits that support personal growth.
Our dedicated mental health professional team provides compassionate and comprehensive therapy in Kitchener-Waterloo for individuals who have experienced trauma or are living with PTSD. We understand that healing looks different for everyone, so our approach is carefully tailored to meet your unique needs and address any related problems that may arise.
“Healing from trauma is not just about surviving – it’s about reclaiming your right to thrive and feel joy again.”
Our therapists use a combination of behavioural therapy, EMDR therapy, and other evidence-based methods designed to address the deep emotional and physical effects of trauma or PTSD. Since PTSD is generally complex and often linked with depression and anxiety, our sessions focus on creating a safe, supportive space where you can take the time to relax, process your emotions, and rebuild a sense of safety at your own pace.
If you’ve gone through a serious injury, faced a threat of death, or seen something deeply traumatic, we’re here to help. Our specialized treatments focus on healing the lasting effects of those difficult experiences. We understand you may feel guilty or overwhelmed during recovery—it’s important to support you with empathy and professional guidance every step of the way. Whether you’ve been recently diagnosed with PTSD or need more help managing long-standing trauma, our trusted team is here to help you move toward lasting healing and emotional resilience.
At Upstream Counselling, we want you to feel comfortable with the counselling process. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about talking to a therapist about this type of therapy.
At Upstream Counselling, we provide compassionate care and a structured process to support individuals coping with trauma and PTSD, empowering you to rebuild trust and regain emotional stability.
Safe and Supportive Environment: We create a confidential and understanding space where you can express emotions freely. This supportive atmosphere encourages open communication and helps you feel safe while working through painful experiences.
Evidence-Based Treatment Approaches: Our therapists use methods like CBT, EMDR, and cognitive processing therapy tailored to your needs. These approaches are clinically proven to promote healing and reduce distress linked to trauma and PTSD.
Gradual Exposure and Healing: In our sessions, we gently guide you through facing and understanding the triggers tied to your trauma. Over time, this helps you break free and move toward lasting healing.
Emotional Regulation Skills: We’ll teach you mindfulness and grounding techniques to help you manage overwhelming emotions and flashbacks. These tools make it easier to stay present, calm, and in control of your life again.
Long-Term Emotional Growth: Beyond symptom relief, therapy helps you rebuild resilience and confidence. This empowers you to reconnect with daily life, relationships, and future goals.
Understanding the Symptoms of PTSD is essential in learning how to address and manage them effectively. At Upstream Counselling, we work with you to identify, understand, and reduce these symptoms through structured treatment.
Reliving and Intrusive Thoughts: You may relive memories or flashbacks of a traumatic event. Our approach helps you process these experiences safely, reducing their emotional intensity over time.
Avoidant Behaviours: Many people avoid reminders of trauma, which limits daily functioning. We help you face these challenges at your pace, promoting confidence in once-triggering situations.
Heightened Arousal and Anxiety: PTSD often causes hypervigilance or irritability. We teach calming strategies and relaxation methods to regulate stress responses and promote inner peace.
Negative Mood and Thoughts: Feelings of guilt or detachment can affect your self-esteem. Therapy focuses on reshaping unhelpful beliefs, supporting a healthier outlook and self-compassion.
Emotional Numbness and Disconnection: Some clients struggle to feel joy or closeness with others. We guide you toward emotional reconnection, enhancing relationships and quality of life.
Our PTSD treatment programs combine proven techniques to address the emotional, psychological, and physical effects of trauma. Each plan is tailored to fit your goals and recovery timeline.
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT helps you identify unhelpful thoughts that reinforce distress. Through this structured approach, we teach new ways of thinking and reacting to reduce anxiety.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: This therapy assists your brain in reprocessing painful memories. By stimulating bilateral movement, it promotes adaptive healing and decreases emotional intensity.
Narrative and Exposure Therapy: You’ll be guided to reframe your personal story and safely revisit traumatic experiences. This helps you gain perspective and reduce avoidant patterns.
Medication Support: In some cases, collaborating psychiatrists may recommend an antidepressant to assist in regulating mood and managing symptoms more effectively.
Ongoing Therapeutic Support: We encourage consistent sessions and reflection between appointments. This steady commitment allows for deeper healing and sustainable change.
Trauma therapy focuses on restoring your sense of security and helping you reconnect with your inner strength. Our therapists walk with you through a supportive, empowering journey toward emotional balance and personal growth.
Understanding Trauma’s Impact: Together, we’ll look at how your past experiences influence the way you think, feel, and act today. Gaining this insight helps you build self-awareness and find a clearer path toward healing and peace.
Emotional Processing and Release: In our sessions, you’ll have a safe space to let out the feelings you’ve been holding in. Learning to put your emotions into words helps ease the tension and brings a sense of clarity and relief.
Building Coping Strategies: We teach healthy coping tools to handle anxiety, anger, or sadness. These strategies encourage balanced reactions in challenging moments.
Restoring Self-Trust and Confidence: Trauma can leave you feeling powerless. Through personalized exercises, we’ll help you rebuild your confidence and trust in yourself to handle whatever life throws your way.
Strengthening Relationships: Healing extends beyond the self—therapy helps you improve communication and rebuild meaningful connections with loved ones.
Regaining control over your life means reclaiming your sense of agency, purpose, and peace. Our approach integrates compassionate guidance with practical strategies for empowerment.
Identifying Triggers and Patterns: We work together to uncover emotional and physical responses tied to trauma. Recognizing these patterns helps you respond thoughtfully instead of reactively.
Skill-Building for Daily Stability: Therapy sessions equip you with grounding techniques and relaxation methods to manage distress in real-world situations.
Reconnecting with Your Values: We help you rediscover what matters most—your relationships, passions, and aspirations—to guide your healing journey forward.
Building a Future-Focused Mindset: Therapy helps you move from just getting by to truly growing by setting goals that feel doable. It’s about finding that spark of hope and motivation again.
Ongoing Emotional Support: We’re here for you even after the sessions end. You’ll have someone to help you reflect on how far you’ve come and celebrate every win—big or small—as you start living more fully again.
Our team at Upstream Counselling is here to help you explore issues, gain insights, begin your journey towards healing, and work towards the goals you identify during the counselling process.
Personalized therapy designed to address specific mental health issues while also nurturing personal growth and well-being.
A counselling program focusing on fostering effective communication, resolving conflicts, and nurturing healthy relationships.
A program designed to support clinical growth, whether you’re a student or a seasoned professional.
Know who you want to book with?
Book Online HereHave questions about counselling or something else?
Call or email us.
Want help choosing the right therapist? Complete our connect form below.
We are ready and looking forward to meeting you. Get started today by clicking the link below and booking your free 15-minute discovery call. All our services are private and confidential.
Disclaimer: Content on this website is for informational purposes only. Visiting this website does not establish any type of therapist-client relationship with Upstream Counselling or its staff. Information obtained from this site does not substitute for a thorough medical and/or psychiatric evaluation by an appropriately credentialed and licensed professional.
