Individual Services

Any situation that a person finds traumatic can cause PTSD.

Those with PTSD often relive the traumatic event through nightmares and flashbacks. They may experience feelings of isolation, irritability, guilt and suffer from sleep disturbances.

Complex PTSD may be caused by experiencing recurring or long-term traumatic events, experiencing trauma at a young age or were harmed by someone close to you.

PTSD can develop immediately after someone experiences a disturbing event, or it can occur weeks, months or even years later.

Interpersonal Trauma is trauma that is a result from interactions with other people. This could be; intimate partner violence, childhood abuse, physical or sexual assault.

Those who have experienced interpersonal trauma may experience emotional distress through anger, sadness, anxiety, shame, numbness, and/or feeling overwhelmed. Physical distress through fatigue, nausea, muscle tremors, and/or hyperarousal. Behavioral distress through avoidant behaviors, high-risk behaviors, sleep and appetite disturbances, and/or difficulties in relationships. 

Dissociative disorders are frequently associated with previous experience of trauma and involve experiencing a disconnection and lack of continuity between thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions and identity. People with dissociative disorders escape reality in ways that are involuntary and interfere with functioning in everyday life.

Dissociative symptoms may include the experience of detachment or feeling as if one is outside one’s body, and loss of memory or amnesia. 

A traumatic experience that happens only once. Examples of this include: a car accident, isolated sexual or physical assault, natural disasters, etc. 

One event can have a profound effect on a survivor’s ability to sleep, to relate to others, and to function in a way that they had prior to that event.

Unwanted sexual contact or behavior impacts the lives and wellbeing of survivors in lots of different ways. Survivors may experience feelings related to PTSD, anxiety, depression, panic attacks and feeling a general lack of safety. While some of the impacts might last a few days, others might last for years . ­

Sexual and identity exploration refers to the processes, experiences and changes over time in relation to a person’s identity as a sexual being and their patterns of sexual attractions and behaviors.

This process can include awareness, exploration, appraisal, commitment, integration, and communication about one’s preferences.

Assuming dissociation occurs on a continuum, Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is on the far end of it, while occasional “forgetfulness,” or feeling disconnected from the body could be on the mild end of the spectrum. Other experiences that occur in a range of frequency or intensity and often include a sense that the body is distinctive from self.

DID as well as other forms of dissociation is commonly a response to developmental trauma, and thus would be approached from a stage-based perspective. Internal family systems (IFS) is often very effective with this population and is an honoring approach to survivors with such profound histories. ITTC views dissociative responses as an emotional life raft and approach it in a non-pathological manner.

LGBTQIA+ individuals are more than twice as likely as heterosexuals to have a mental health disorder in their lifetime. They are 2.5 times more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and substance misuse compared with heterosexual individuals. LGBTQIA+ members may also experience isolation, lack of connection to family and community, and increased levels of stress due to stigma and discrimination.

Grief is complicated and is different for everyone. However, most people would agree that dealing with a loss takes a toll on your mental health. Feelings of sadness, anger, loneliness, and hopeless are all common emotions that people experience during the grieving process. Those who are experiencing grief might also feel or act differently than usual, acting withdrawn and not enjoy their usual activities or engaging in risky behaviors. 

Chronic pain and mental health are often interconnected. People who experience chronic pain are much more likely to develop mood and anxiety disorders. For some, anxiety and depression can worsen chronic pain and pain can aggravate mental health issues. 

Perinatal mental health refers to a woman’s mental health during pregnancy and the postpartum period, a full 12 months after birth. Some examples of perinatal mental health concerns are postpartum depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and feelings of PTSD. 

Perinatal depression and anxiety can often mask as feelings of inadequacy, feeling overwhelmed or trapped, or feelings of intense fear. 

The emotional reaction to exposure to traumatic stories and experiences of others through work, and/or witnessing fear, pain, and terror that others have experienced. Experiencing vicarious trauma may include ruminating thoughts of the traumatic experience or rescue fantasies, feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, and cynicism.

For those who have witnessed a traumatic event, there may be feelings of bystander guilt, shame, feelings of self-doubt.

Adverse Childhood experiences (commonly referred to as ACEs) and developmental trauma are linked to higher levels of mental health concerns through adulthood. ACEs include experiences such as physical and emotional abuse, neglect, caregiver mental illness and/or substance use, and household violence. 

Developmental trauma refers to adverse experiences in early childhood with the added complexity of occurring over time and within the context of a close relationship, most often a caregiver.

Intimate Relationships Trauma + Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is abuse or aggression that occurs in a romantic relationship. “Intimate partner” refers to both current and former spouses and dating partners.

IPV survivors often have immediate needs for safety and resources to improve their ability to cope, establish independence from their abusive partners, and engage in treatment. Survivors often internalize the verbal abuse from their partner. They may blame themselves for their situation, experience fear, as well as anger and resentment towards themselves and have extreme feelings of guilt.

Intergenerational trauma is a concept developed to help explain trauma that is passed from a trauma survivor to their descendants. This can occur if a parent experienced abuse as a child and the cycle of trauma and abuse impacts their parenting. Another example can also be the result of oppression, including racial trauma or other systemic oppression.

People experiencing intergenerational trauma may experience symptoms, reactions, patterns, and emotional and psychological effects from trauma experienced by previous generations. In addition, symptoms may include hyper-vigilance, anxiety, and mood dysregulation.