What is trauma counselling?
Trauma counselling is therapy that helps you make sense of overwhelming past experiences and the way they continue to affect your nervous system, emotions, and relationships today. Rather than asking you to relive what happened, trauma-informed care begins with safety, choice, and steadiness — building practical tools to regulate your body and feelings first, then gently processing the memory itself when you feel ready.
Trauma isn't only about a single catastrophic event. It can come from childhood experiences, ongoing stress, loss, medical events, relationships, or anything that left you feeling unsafe and unsupported for too long. If it shaped how you cope, it's worth tending to.
Signs trauma counselling might help
Many people wonder whether what they went through "counts." If any of the following feel familiar, counselling can help:
- Feeling on edge, easily startled, or unable to fully relax
- Intrusive memories, flashbacks, or nightmares
- Avoiding people, places, or conversations that bring it back
- Emotional numbness, disconnection, or feeling "not quite here"
- Difficulty trusting, setting boundaries, or feeling safe in relationships
- Shame, self-blame, or a harsh inner critic that won't quiet down
EMDR therapy in Saskatoon
Jelena is trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), one of the most well-researched therapies for trauma and PTSD. EMDR uses gentle, structured bilateral stimulation to help the brain reprocess distressing memories so they lose their emotional intensity — the memory remains, but it stops hijacking the present. EMDR is always introduced gradually, after you and Jelena have built a foundation of safety and coping skills together.
Alongside EMDR, Jelena draws on trauma-informed care, CBT, DBT, ACT, and emotion-focused approaches, tailoring the work to what fits you rather than forcing you into one method.
Insurance & coverage: As a Registered Social Worker, Jelena is approved for NIHB (Non-Insured Health Benefits), Victim Services, SunLife, Canada Life, Green Shield, and most extended health plans.
Format: In-person in Saskatoon (#7 – 716 2nd Ave N) or secure virtual sessions across Saskatchewan.
What your first session looks like
The first step is a free 15-minute consultation — a relaxed conversation to talk about what's bringing you in, ask anything you're wondering about, and feel out whether Jelena's approach is the right fit. There's no pressure to share more than you want to, and no commitment to continue. Trauma work only works when it feels safe, and that starts from the very first call.
Trauma counselling FAQs
It's therapy that recognizes how overwhelming past experiences shape the nervous system, emotions, and relationships. It prioritizes safety, choice, and pacing, so you're never pushed to revisit anything before you feel ready — building regulation tools first, then gently processing what happened.
Yes. Jelena is trained in EMDR, an evidence-based therapy for trauma and PTSD that helps the brain reprocess distressing memories so they lose their emotional charge. It's offered in-person in Saskatoon and, where appropriate, virtually across Saskatchewan.
There's no fixed timeline. Some people feel steadier within a few sessions focused on coping and regulation; processing deeper or complex trauma can take longer. Jelena works at your pace and reviews progress with you regularly.
Often, yes. As a Registered Social Worker, Jelena is approved for NIHB, Victim Services, and most extended health plans including SunLife, Canada Life, and Green Shield. Confirm Registered Social Worker coverage with your specific plan.
Taking the first step is the hardest part.
You don't need to have the words figured out. A free 15-minute consultation is a gentle place to begin.