“The medicine is already within the pain and suffering.  You just have to look deeply and quietly.  Then you realize it has been there the whole time.” Saying from the Native American oral tradition.

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The perception of trauma is subjective, and it can be a dangerous or frightening event that a person experiences personally or witnesses.  There are, however,  some more common types of experiences that are often traumatic, including:

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• Neglect

• Physical or sexual abuse

• Emotional abuse

• Witnessing violence, including domestic violence

• Community violence

• Sudden loss of a loved one

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Ongoing and repetitive trauma such as chronic, long-term experience of childhood abuse and neglect is defined as complex trauma.  If a number of these experiences have occurred over long periods in childhood, and protective factors were not present such as a supportive and nurturing family, an individual is more likely to be at risk for having a persistent negative response to trauma.

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Some of these experiences are the result of intergenerational trauma where the effects of serious, untreated trauma that has been experienced by one or more members of a family or group has been passed down from one generation to the next.  Residential school experiences and its effects is an example of this, and are at the core of many issues in our families and communities.

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Goal of the Program

The Trauma-Focused Therapy Program aims to help people begin the journey toward overcoming the impacts of childhood and adult trauma.  It aims to strengthen resilience and encourage reconnection with self, family, and community.

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Our program focuses on healing from past trauma through a blend of therapies, integrated into a uniquely holistic, strengths based program that prioritizes collaborative principles based on safety, choice, and empowerment.

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Since trauma can happen in many different ways, the symptoms people experience vary; therefore, careful screening is vital in our program and is performed by a professional mental health clinician. Once screened thoroughly, you will receive an individualized treatment plan tailored to your needs.

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The objectives of the trauma treatment plans normally include various forms of psychotherapy, within which you have an option to process traumatic memories; group circles where you learn to develop skills to manage symptoms, improve interpersonal relationships, and foster connections with self and with others; and alternative therapies.