West Vancouver PTSD Counselling
When Trauma Won't Let Go
Something happened and you can't stop reliving it. Maybe it was combat, a car accident, assault, abuse, or witnessing something horrific. Now you have nightmares, flashbacks that feel like you're right back there, panic when something reminds you of what happened. You avoid anything connected to the trauma - places, people, situations - and it's shrinking your life. Or you're numb and disconnected, going through the motions but not really living. People say "just get over it" but your brain and body won't let you move on. West Vancouver PTSD counselling helps you process what happened so it stops controlling your present, using approaches like EMDR that actually resolve trauma instead of just teaching you to cope with symptoms forever.
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Creekside Counselling works with people throughout West Vancouver and North Vancouver from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove who are dealing with post-traumatic stress from accidents, violence, abuse, military service, first responder work, or any experience that left you stuck in survival mode. PTSD counselling gives you specialized treatment that addresses how trauma lives in your nervous system, not just your thoughts.
Benefits of PTSD Counselling
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Post-traumatic Stress Disorder is treatable. Lots of people think they'll struggle forever because trauma "damaged" them permanently. That's not true. Your brain got stuck processing a traumatic event and specialised therapy helps it unstick. You can actually heal from PTSD, not just manage symptoms.
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PTSD counselling uses evidence-based approaches specifically designed for trauma. Regular talk therapy often doesn't work well for PTSD because trauma lives in your body and nervous system, not just your memories. We use EMDR, trauma-focused CBT, and somatic approaches that address how trauma actually works in your brain and body.
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We help you understand that PTSD symptoms are normal responses to abnormal experiences. Hypervigilance, nightmares, flashbacks, emotional numbing, avoiding reminders - these aren't signs you're weak or broken. They're your nervous system stuck in threat mode trying to protect you from danger that's already passed. PTSD counselling helps reset your threat system.
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PTSD counselling addresses the full range of symptoms people struggle with. The intrusive symptoms - flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive thoughts. The avoidance - staying away from anything that reminds you of trauma. The negative changes in mood and thinking - feeling detached, blaming yourself, loss of interest in life. The hyperarousal - always on edge, can't sleep, irritable, jumpy. We work on all of it systematically.
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For complex PTSD from repeated trauma over time - childhood abuse, domestic violence, prolonged captivity - we adapt treatment to address the developmental impacts and relationship patterns that form when trauma is ongoing rather than a single event. Complex trauma requires longer treatment but absolutely responds to therapy.
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PTSD counselling helps you reclaim parts of your life that trauma stole. Maybe you can't drive anymore after a car accident. Can't be in crowds after assault. Can't maintain relationships because trust is destroyed. Can't work because hypervigilance and flashbacks interfere. Processing trauma helps you gradually return to normal life instead of staying trapped in avoidance.
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We also address the secondary issues PTSD creates - substance use to numb symptoms, relationship problems from emotional withdrawal or irritability, job loss from inability to function, depression and suicidal thoughts from hopelessness about ever feeling normal again. These improve as PTSD symptoms decrease.
Creekside Counselling's Approach to PTSD Counselling
We start with a real conversation about what happened and how it's affecting you now. Not every traumatic event looks the same, and not everyone's PTSD shows up the same way. Some people have one big trauma, others have experienced multiple traumatic events over time. We need to understand your specific situation before we can help.
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Then we teach you stabilization skills first. This might seem slow if you want to dive right into processing the trauma, but here's why it matters: if you don't have tools to manage intense emotions and physical reactions, trauma processing can overwhelm you. We make sure you've got grounding techniques, ways to calm your nervous system, and coping strategies that actually work for you.
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The actual trauma processing uses proven methods like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and CPT (Cognitive Processing Therapy). These aren't just talk therapy - they're specific techniques designed to help your brain reprocess traumatic memories so they stop being so distressing.
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With EMDR, we use bilateral stimulation (usually eye movements) while you think about the trauma. It sounds weird, but it works. Your brain processes the memory differently, and it starts to feel less overwhelming. Most people notice a difference within a few sessions.
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CPT helps you challenge the thoughts that got stuck after trauma - things like "I should have done something different" or "nowhere is safe" or "I can't trust anyone." These beliefs make sense after trauma, but they keep you stuck. We work through them so you can see things more clearly.
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We adjust the pace based on how you're doing. Some weeks you'll process heavy stuff. Other weeks we focus on building skills or just checking in. There's no rush - we move at a speed that feels managable for you.
Pricing Information
Individual PTSD counselling sessions are $165 for 50 minutes. Most extended health plans cover at least part of this, and we provide reciepts you can submit to your insurance. Check what your plan covers for counselling or psychotherapy - different plans have different limits.
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How often you come depends on where you're at. Weekly sessions work well when you're actively processing trauma. Some people move to every other week once they've got momentum and solid coping skills. We'll figure out what makes sense for your situation and your budget.
Areas We Serve
We see clients from all over West Vancouver - whether you're up in British Properties, down by the water in Dundarave, over in Caulfield, or anywhere in between. Lots of our clients come from North Van too, and we've worked with people from Horseshoe Bay who don't want to drive all the way to Vancouver for decent trauma therapy.
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Our office is easy to get to from Marine Drive, and there's parking that won't cost you an arm and a leg. If getting to appointments is tough during a depressive episode, we offer online sessions too.
Frequently Asked Questions About PTSD Counselling
How long does PTSD counselling take before I feel better?
Most people notice some improvement within 8-12 sessions, but full treatment usually takes 3-6 months of consistent work. It depends on how complex your trauma is and how severe your symptoms are. Single-incident trauma (like a car accident) often responds faster than trauma that happened repeatedly over time. We're focused on real progress, not rushing through just to say you're "done."
What if I can't talk about what happened to me?
You don't have to share every detail, especially not right away. Some people need time to build trust before they can talk about their trauma. That's normal and we respect it. EMDR can also help process trauma without you having to describe everything out loud. We meet you where you're at, and we don't push you to share more than you're ready for.
Will PTSD counselling make me feel worse before I feel better?
Sometimes, yes. Processing trauma can bring up difficult emotions and memories. You might have a rough day after a session where you did heavy work. But this is different from being retraumatized - we're helping you work through the pain, not creating new trauma. The hard moments are part of healing, and they get easier as treatment continues. Plus, we give you tools to manage the hard days.
Can I do PTSD counselling if the trauma happened a long time ago?
Absolutely. PTSD doesn't have an expiry date. We work with people whose trauma happened last month and people whose trauma happened 20 years ago. Your brain can still process and heal from old trauma - it just needs the right approach. Sometimes older trauma is actually easier to work with because you've got more distance from it.
Do I need a PTSD diagnosis to get counselling for trauma?
No. You don't need an official diagnosis to get help. If you experienced something traumatic and you're struggling with symptoms like nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance, or feeling constantly on edge, that's enough. We can do an assesment and figure out together what kind of treatment will help you most.
What happens if I have a panic attack during a session?
We help you through it. Panic attacks can happen when you're working with trauma, and we're trained to help you calm your nervous system. We'll use grounding techniques, breathing exercises, or whatever works for you. Sessions are a safe place to have these reactions - actually, it's better to have them here where someone knows how to help than to have them alone at home.
Can medication help with PTSD, or is counselling enough?
Some people benefit from medication alongside counselling, especially if they're dealing with severe anxiety or depression on top of PTSD. We can't prescribe (we're counsellors, not doctors), but we work with psychiatrists and family doctors who can. For many people, counselling alone is enough. For others, the combination works best. We'll talk about what might help in your specific case.
How do I know if what I experienced was "traumatic enough" for PTSD counselling?
If it's affecting your life, it's enough. People sometimes minimize their own experiences because they think trauma has to be dramatic or violent. But trauma is about how your brain and body responded to an event, not about how the event compares to someone else's experience. Car accidents, medical procedures, sudden losses, assaults, childhood experiences - all of these can cause PTSD. Your pain is valid, and you deserve help.