We direct bill counselling services to Pacific Blue Cross, GreenShield, Canada Life & Sun Life! For a full list of direct billing providers, click here.
Skip to content We direct bill counselling services to Pacific Blue Cross, GreenShield, Canada Life & Sun Life! For a full list of direct billing providers, click here.
The world tells you to “get over it” but your body remembers. Trauma therapy recognizes that healing requires addressing both mind and body.
Maybe it shows up as hypervigilance – always scanning for danger, never quite able to relax. Or maybe it’s the opposite – feeling disconnected, floating through life like you’re watching it happen to someone else. Your body remembers what your mind tries to forget, carrying stories that aren’t just personal but ancestral, collective, systemic.
Sometimes it shows up in relationships – not wanting to trust the people you’re around, always waiting for the other shoe to drop, or finding yourself in the same painful patterns despite promising yourself “never again.”
Other times it’s the exhaustion of navigating spaces that don’t feel safe, trying to make yourself smaller or invisible just to get through the day.
Maybe you find yourself flinching at loud noises, heart racing when someone raises their voice. Maybe you’re experiencing nightmares, flashbacks, or panic attacks. Or perhaps it’s more subtle – a constant tension in your shoulders, a knot in your stomach when you enter certain spaces, a feeling of floating away when things get overwhelming, your brain feeling foggy.
And beneath it all, maybe there’s a voice whispering: “Is healing even possible for someone like me?” Between us? The answer is yes. Trauma-informed therapy meets you where you are, honouring both what you’ve survived and your capacity to heal, but maybe not in the way you’ve been told it should look.
Often, there’s an assumption that healing from trauma means returning to who we were “before it happened” – as if we could somehow erase the impact of our experiences, reset our nervous systems, and go back to a time before we knew what we know now.
But here’s the thing: You’re not meant to become who you were before.
The idea that we can or should return to a “pre-trauma self” assumes that our only options are to be “broken” or move past it like it didn’t phase you. But trauma is an experience that fundamentally shifted how we understand ourselves and the world around us. It’s asking to be seen, not removed as if it were inconsequential.
After all, if it was inconsequential, we wouldn’t be calling it trauma, right?
There’s so much grief to come to terms with in that, for sure, AND it also moves us towards a key part of healing from trauma — integration and meaning-making.
When we experience something overwhelming, our bodies and minds naturally try to make sense of it. Sometimes that meaning-making happens in isolation, shaped by systems that want us to believe we’re broken or that our pain is inevitable.
The medical system might tell you it’s a disorder. The legal system might tell you it wasn’t “bad enough.” Society might tell you to “get over it” or that trauma is “just what happens in life.”
We might then internalize this to mean:
Trauma’s internalizations make sense in context. They helped us survive. But survival is not necessarily healing. Healing from trauma is the agency and autonomy you have to make your own meaning about what has happened and how that impacts your understanding of and the way you move through the world.
Let’s take a moment to shift our questions. Instead of asking “what’s wrong with me?” or “how do I get over this,” let’s ask ourselves what stories we’re ready to reimagine, what wisdom our bodies are keeping.
How do we get there? Keep reading to learn more about our approach to trauma counselling in Vancouver and Port Moody at Venturous.
How we work
“Trauma-informed” has become one of those buzz words that gets tossed around in therapy spaces. But at Venturous Counselling, we understand that being “trauma-informed” isn’t enough when the trauma itself is often rooted in systems of oppression.
We see healing work as inherently political. Your experiences don’t exist in a vacuum – they’re shaped by systems like rape culture, patriarchy, white supremacy, and carceral thinking that tell us:
We respectfully reject these scripts and work with you to heal from trauma through recognizing both personal and systemic context, building structures of safety that become the foundation for agency and autonomy in meaning-making. This means we focus on:
You set the pace. While we will definitely offer suggestions or highlight paths we can explore, you ultimately get to decide what works and doesn’t work for you. Because healing isn’t just about processing what happened – it’s about reimagining what’s possible, both personally and collectively.
Our trauma counselling rates range from $160-$240 per session.
We offer direct billing to most extended health insurance plans and accept funding through CVAP, ICBC, WorkBC, FNHA, and Autism Funding. Book a free 15-minute consultation to discuss pricing and insurance options.
whether that’s somatic practices, nature-based sessions, expressive arts therapy, or EMDR.
Our counsellors bring both professional and living experience to this work. We are Master’s level practitioners with specialized training in burnout and stress counselling, anti-oppressive, intersectional feminist, and anti-colonial frameworks. Most importantly, we understand firsthand the importance of finding therapy that doesn’t require you to explain or justify your identity and experiences.
Sessions are offered virtually across BC, and in-person in Vancouver, Burnaby, and Port Moody. We are covered by most insurance providers (check for RCC or Registered Clinical Counsellor in your plan) and can provide direct billing for certain insurance providers, including ICBC and CVAP (Crime Victims Assistance Program).
You can also access sessions with us through WorkBC or FNHA.
We offer direct billing to select insurance providers and funded programs. Start with a free 15-minute video conversation to find out more.
Each of our counsellors brings a different lens to trauma counselling.
Here’s how they approach it, so you can sense who might feel like the right fit.
If your experience of harm has left you feeling disconnected from your body or unable to find words for what happened, Sarada will meet you there. Her sessions draw on somatic work and expressive arts to create space for what hasn’t found language yet, without requiring you to retell or relive what happened. She works gently and at your pace, and is especially skilled at holding trauma that has accumulated over time rather than from a single event. Sarada is registered with CVAP, which means her sessions may be fully funded if you have been approved for coverage.
Work with Sarada if you’re worn down, emotionally overloaded, or disconnected from yourself, and you want support that feels gentle and spacious, without being passive.
If your trauma is connected to the experience of navigating worlds that had different rules for you, Julianna works with that. The trauma of being the first or only. Of code-switching so long it became automatic. Of belonging nowhere fully. Her sessions draw on narrative practice and art therapy to help people make sense of what they have been carrying across cultures, families, and identities, without rushing toward resolution. She also offers nature based sessions, which can support nervous system regulation for people who find traditional office settings difficult. Julianna is registered with ICBC, which means her sessions may be funded if your trauma is connected to a motor vehicle incident.
Work with Julianna if you’ve spent a lot of your life translating yourself between cultures, roles, or worlds, and you want room to think out loud without flattening the complexity.
If your trauma is connected to how your body has been treated, violated, or made to feel unsafe by others or by systems, Parveen works with the relational weight of that alongside the body itself. Her sessions combine art, somatic awareness, and create space to resolve the shame, hypervigilance, and self-protection that often travel with trauma. She asks hard questions with care, and works well with people who want honesty alongside compassion. Parveen is registered with CVAP, which means her sessions may be fully funded if you have CVAP coverage.
Work with Parveen if anxiety about how you’re seen in the world has started running the show, and you want a space to slow down, untangle those stories, and build something more compassionate in their place.
If you want to work with trauma at the level of memory and nervous system response without having to talk through everything in detail, Jess integrates EMDR with her practice in a way that processes what the body is still holding. EMDR is particularly effective for trauma that keeps breaking through, that shows up in triggers and flashbacks and reactions that feel out of proportion. Jess also offers nature based sessions, which can be grounding for people whose trauma makes indoor, face to face settings feel difficult. Her approach suits people who want to experiment with how they heal rather than follow a set protocol.
Work with Jess if you’ve spent a long time being told who you should be, and you’re more interested in figuring out what actually fits.
Q&A
This is such a common and valid concern. We work at a pace that feels safe for your nervous system. Before diving into any heavy material, we’ll help you develop concrete tools for grounding and regulation. You’re always in control of what we explore and how deeply we go.
If you’re feeling the impact of something, it’s significant enough to deserve support. Many people minimize their experiences because “others had it worse” or because their culture or community normalized certain experiences. Your feelings and responses are valid, and you deserve support in healing.
This is a deep and complex concern that many of our clients share, especially those from tight-knit communities. We can explore ways to honor your relationships while still creating space for your healing.
This is completely normal and common. Our bodies often protect us by storing traumatic memories in different ways – some memories might be fragmented, stored in the body, or completely blocked. We don’t need to uncover every detail to support your healing. We can work with whatever you remember, whatever your body is ready to share, and the symptoms or patterns you’re experiencing now. Sometimes memories emerge naturally during the healing process, and sometimes they don’t – both are valid paths to healing.
Many people have had therapy experiences that focused on symptom management without addressing the root causes or cultural context of their trauma. If you were told to just use coping strategies or felt like your therapist didn’t understand your identity or experiences, our approach is different. We examine both individual healing and systemic factors contributing to your trauma. We validate your experience and recognize that trauma responses often make sense given your circumstances. Our justice-oriented approach integrates multiple therapeutic modalities and honors your cultural background and lived experience as sources of strength and wisdom.
Trauma counselling in Vancouver and Port Moody helps you process and integrate traumatic experiences beyond traditional symptom management. Our approach recognizes that trauma isn’t just individual – it’s often rooted in systems of oppression and collective experiences. Through integrating talk therapy with evidence-based therapies like EMDR, somatic therapy, nature-based therapy, and expressive arts, we help you reclaim agency in your healing journey and develop sustainable ways of moving through the world. Sessions can be virtual across BC or in-person at our Vancouver and Port Moody locations.
We work with all forms of trauma, including childhood trauma, sexual violence, physical abuse, emotional abuse, medical trauma, intergenerational trauma, racial trauma, LGBTQ+ trauma, and complex trauma. We also address systemic trauma from navigating oppression, discrimination, and marginalization. Our approach recognizes that trauma can be a single incident or ongoing experiences, and we understand how different forms of trauma intersect and compound. Whether your trauma happened recently or decades ago, we provide support that honors your unique experience.
We understand that much trauma stems from navigating systems of oppression, including racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, and other forms of discrimination. Our anti-oppressive approach recognizes that your trauma responses often make complete sense given the systems you’ve had to navigate. We don’t pathologize your responses to oppressive systems – instead, we help you understand your experiences in context, develop strategies for resistance and resilience, and connect with your cultural strengths and community resources. Our team of counsellors brings lived experience and specialized training in working with marginalized communities.
Yes, we have extensive experience working with complex trauma and PTSD. Complex trauma often results from prolonged, repeated experiences of abuse, neglect, or systemic oppression, particularly during childhood. Our approach integrates multiple therapeutic modalities to address the various ways complex trauma impacts your nervous system, relationships, and sense of self. We understand that complex trauma affects emotional regulation, attachment patterns, and your relationship with your body. Our somatic therapy and EMDR approaches are particularly effective for processing complex trauma.
Long before therapy was professionalized, communities often engaged in healing from traumatic events through reconnecting with ritual, ceremony, spiritual traditions, and community wisdom. Many cultures have rich traditions around trauma healing that colonization tried to erase, and we support you in reconnecting with practices that feel meaningful. We welcome and honor these aspects of your experience, integrating them with other therapeutic modalities in ways that feel authentic to you. We also recognize that some people are navigating trauma while questioning or exploring their spiritual beliefs, and we hold space for that complexity too.
Absolutely. These are common trauma responses that often indicate your nervous system is trying to process overwhelming experiences. Our somatic therapy approach specifically addresses how trauma is held in the body and nervous system. We help you understand these responses as your body’s attempt to heal, develop grounding and regulation techniques, and use body-based interventions to support your nervous system. EMDR therapy is also highly effective for processing traumatic memories and reducing the intensity of flashbacks and nightmares.
Your first session begins with a free 15-minute consultation where we’ll discuss your specific trauma experience and match you with the right counsellor. In your first full session, we’ll focus on creating safety and building trust. We’ll explore what brings you to therapy, discuss your current symptoms or concerns, and begin developing grounding and regulation tools before diving into any heavy material. You’re always in control of what we explore and how deeply we go. There’s no pressure to share more than feels comfortable, and we’ll work at your pace. Sessions are 50 minutes and can be virtual or in-person at our Vancouver or Port Moody offices.
Yes, our practice is specifically designed to support SDQTBIPOC+ communities who often experience unique forms of trauma related to discrimination, violence, and systemic oppression. Our counsellors understand how racism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of systemic harm create and compound trauma. We provide culturally responsive therapy that doesn’t require you to explain or justify your identity. We also work with survivors of sexual violence, childhood abuse, medical trauma, and other specific trauma experiences with specialized understanding of how these traumas intersect with identity and systemic oppression.
Healing from trauma is not linear, and everyone’s journey is different. Some people notice shifts in their symptoms and coping within a few sessions, while deeper integration and healing typically takes several months to years of consistent work. Rather than focusing on a specific timeline, we work together to identify what healing looks like for you and celebrate progress along the way. Some clients work with us intensively for several months, others prefer longer-term support, and many return periodically for tune-ups or during difficult periods. Book a consultation to discuss your specific situation and what might work best for you.
Both options can be equally effective. Virtual sessions offer convenience, accessibility, and comforts of being in your own space, while in-person sessions might feel more grounding for some. We can explore what feels right for you, and you’re welcome to switch between the two.
Life happens! We ask for 24 hours notice for cancellations or changes. This helps us maintain accessibility for our community and sustainability for our practice.
Yes, we can work with you to create supporting documentation in session when needed. We’ll discuss this during your session to ensure we understand your needs and can support you appropriately.
Get Matched
We offer direct billing to select insurance providers & funded programs. Start with a free 15-minute video conversation or get your personalized recommendations straight to your inbox, with this 3-minute form.
Trauma rarely stays in one lane. It ripples into how you feel in your body, how you relate to others, how you understand yourself. If any of these feel like part of the picture, they might be worth naming.
occupying the stolen, ancestral territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), Qayqayt, and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) peoples. Our relationship with these lands dictates our commitment to understanding and responding to the ongoing impacts of colonization in our practices in and out of the counselling room.
Learn more about the land you’re occupying at native-land.ca
