Expert Intergenerational Trauma Therapy Services in Canada

Taking Your First Step: Initial Contact & Consultation

Starting therapy takes courage. We understand that reaching out can feel overwhelming, especially when dealing with intergenerational trauma. That's why we've designed our first step to be gentle and welcoming.

Your journey begins with a free 15-minute consultation. This brief conversation helps us connect. It allows you to meet Melissa Davies, our registered clinical counsellor, without any pressure or commitment. Think of it as a warm introduction to our practice.

What to Expect During Your Consultation

During this initial call, we'll discuss your needs briefly. You can ask questions about our approach to intergenerational trauma therapy. Melissa will explain how our culturally inclusive methods can support your healing journey. We'll also talk about practical matters like scheduling, session formats, and insurance coverage.

This consultation can happen in three ways:

• Phone call at your scheduled time
• Video call if you prefer face-to-face connection
• In-person meeting at our Nanaimo office

Choose whatever feels most comfortable for you. There's no wrong choice.

Preparing for Your Consultation

You don't need to prepare extensively. Simply think about what brought you here today. Consider what you hope to achieve through therapy. If you have questions about our services, jot them down. We want you to feel informed and confident about moving forward.

Remember, this conversation is completely confidential. You can share as much or as little as feels right for you in this moment.

Multiple Ways to Connect

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the consultation really free?Yes, absolutely. We believe everyone deserves access to information about their healing options without financial barriers.

What if I'm not ready to commit to therapy after the consultation?That's perfectly okay. The consultation helps you make an informed decision. There's no obligation to continue. Your readiness matters most.

Can family members join the consultation?If having support feels important to you, we can discuss including family members. We want you to feel as comfortable as possible.

What about privacy and confidentiality?Everything we discuss remains completely confidential. We follow strict professional guidelines to protect your privacy from the very first contact.

Do you work with people from all cultural backgrounds?Yes. Our practice welcomes people from all backgrounds. Melissa has specialized training in working with Indigenous communities and brings cultural sensitivity to all her work.

After Your Consultation

If you decide to move forward, we'll schedule your first full session. This intake appointment typically lasts 50 minutes and can be conducted in-person, online, or by phone. During this session, we'll complete a more comprehensive assessment and begin developing your personalized treatment plan.

We'll also discuss practical matters like session frequency, insurance coverage, and direct billing options. Many extended health plans cover our services, and we work with providers like Blue Cross, Great West Life, and the First Nations Health Authority.

You're Not Alone in This Journey

Taking this first step shows incredible strength. Intergenerational trauma affects many families and communities. Healing is possible, and you deserve support along the way.

Our approach combines evidence-based therapies with deep respect for your unique story and cultural background. We use methods like cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness practices, and somatic approaches to help you process trauma and build resilience.

Ready to begin? Reach out today to schedule your free consultation. We're here to support you every step of the way.

Step 2: Assessment & Goal Setting

Your intake session is where we truly begin. This is your space. A place where your story matters, where your goals take shape, and where we start building the foundation for your healing journey together.

What to Expect During Your Assessment

Your intake session lasts about 50 minutes and can happen in person at our Nanaimo location, online, or by phone. We start by getting to know you. Really knowing you. We'll explore what brought you here today, what you're hoping to achieve, and what healing means to you personally.

During our time together, we'll use gentle assessment tools that help us understand your current experience. These might include brief questionnaires about mood and anxiety that help us see the full picture of how you're feeling. Think of these as conversation starters rather than tests. There are no right or wrong answers, only your truth.

We'll also explore your family history and cultural background. This isn't about judgment. It's about understanding the rich tapestry of your life, including the patterns that may have been passed down through generations and the strengths that flow through your family line.

Setting Your Goals Together

Goal setting isn't something we do to you. It's something we do with you. We believe you are the expert on your own life, and our role is to walk alongside you as you define what healing looks like for you.

Some people come knowing exactly what they want to work on. Others arrive feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to start. Both are perfectly okay. We'll help you identify what matters most right now, what you'd like to see change, and what strengths you already possess that we can build upon.

Your goals might focus on understanding family patterns, healing from specific traumas, improving relationships, or developing new coping strategies. Whatever emerges, we'll make sure they feel authentic and achievable for you.

What to Bring and How to Prepare

Common Concerns About Assessment

"What if I don't know how to answer the questions?"There's no perfect way to answer. We're looking for your honest experience, not textbook responses. If something doesn't make sense, we'll explore it together.

"Will you judge my family or cultural background?"Never. We approach every family system and cultural background with deep respect. Your heritage and family patterns are sources of both challenge and strength, and we honour both.

"What if I get emotional during the assessment?"Emotions are welcome here. Crying, anger, confusion, or feeling overwhelmed are all normal responses. We'll go at your pace and take breaks whenever you need them.

"Do I have to share everything in the first session?"Absolutely not. You share what feels safe and comfortable. Trust builds over time, and so does the depth of what you choose to explore with us.

Creating Your Treatment Plan

Based on our assessment and your goals, we'll begin crafting a treatment approach that fits your unique needs. This might include various therapeutic methods like cognitive behavioural approaches for changing thought patterns, mindfulness techniques for present moment awareness, or somatic practices that help your body release stored trauma.

We also integrate cultural practices and holistic approaches when they align with your values and goals. Some clients find healing through art therapy, others through meditation or energy work like Reiki. The key is finding what resonates with you.

Your treatment plan isn't set in stone. It's a living document that evolves as you grow and change. We'll regularly check in about what's working, what isn't, and how we might adjust our approach to better serve your healing journey.

Remember, this assessment is the beginning of a collaborative partnership. You're not broken and in need of fixing. You're a whole person with inherent wisdom, seeking support to heal and grow. We're here to witness your journey and provide tools and insights along the way.

Step 3: Active Treatment & Skill Building

This is where the real work begins. You'll engage in regular therapy sessions designed to help you understand and heal from intergenerational trauma patterns. Each session builds on the last, creating momentum toward lasting change.

What Your Sessions Look Like

Every session follows a gentle rhythm that honours your pace. We start with a brief check-in. How are you feeling today? What's been on your mind since we last met? This isn't just small talk. It's your therapist tuning into your emotional state and adjusting the session to meet you where you are.

The heart of each session focuses on therapeutic work tailored specifically to intergenerational trauma. You might explore family patterns through guided conversation. Sometimes we'll use mindfulness techniques to help you stay grounded when difficult emotions arise. Art therapy can unlock feelings that words cannot reach. And somatic approaches help your body release trauma it has been carrying for generations.

Sessions wrap up with reflection and planning. What insights emerged today? How can you practice new skills before our next meeting? This isn't homework in the traditional sense. Think of it as gentle experiments in living differently.

Therapeutic Techniques We Use

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps you recognize thought patterns inherited from previous generations. You'll learn to question beliefs that may not actually belong to you. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy teaches emotional regulation skills, especially helpful when family trauma triggers intense feelings.

Mindfulness based stress reduction keeps you anchored in the present moment rather than lost in generational pain. Somatic therapy acknowledges that trauma lives in the body. Through gentle awareness exercises, you'll learn to befriend your nervous system again.

Art therapy provides a safe container for expressing what feels too big for words. Sometimes a drawing or sculpture can capture family dynamics more clearly than any explanation. And when trauma feels overwhelming, we use grounding techniques to help you feel safe and present.

Between Session Activities

Healing happens between sessions too. You'll keep a feelings journal to track emotional patterns and triggers. This isn't about perfect entries every day. It's about noticing.

Mindfulness practice becomes part of your routine. Maybe five minutes of breathing exercises each morning. Or mindful walking when anxiety peaks. These small practices create big shifts over time.

You'll explore your family story through gentle inquiry. Perhaps looking at old photos with new eyes. Or having different conversations with family members. Always at your own pace. Always with your safety as the priority.

Self-compassion exercises help you treat yourself with the kindness you deserve. Many people carrying intergenerational trauma learned to be harsh with themselves. We practice a different way.

Tracking Your Progress

Progress in trauma therapy rarely follows a straight line. Some weeks you'll feel lighter. Others might bring up more difficult emotions as healing unfolds. This is normal and expected.

We track progress through regular check-ins about your goals. How are your relationships changing? Do you notice different responses to stress? Are old family patterns loosening their grip?

You'll complete brief questionnaires that measure symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma responses. These aren't tests you can pass or fail. They're simply tools to help us understand how you're feeling and adjust our approach accordingly.

Most importantly, we pay attention to your own sense of progress. You are the expert on your experience. Your insights about what's working and what isn't guide our work together.

Support Between Sessions

You're not alone between appointments. While your therapist maintains professional boundaries, support is available when you need it. You'll receive clear guidelines about when and how to reach out if you're struggling.

For crisis situations, you'll have access to local emergency resources and crisis lines. Your safety always comes first. And for non-urgent concerns, you'll know exactly how to connect with your therapist or our support team.

Remember, healing intergenerational trauma takes time. Be patient with yourself. Trust the process. And know that each session brings you closer to breaking cycles that may have persisted for generations.

Step 4: Completion and Ongoing Support

You've reached a significant milestone. This final step celebrates your transformation while establishing pathways for continued growth and resilience.

Recognizing Your Readiness for Completion

How do you know you're ready? Several key indicators emerge naturally as you progress through your healing journey.

• Emotional Regulation: You notice yourself responding to triggers with greater calm and awareness, rather than reacting from old patterns
• Relationship Changes: Your connections with family members feel more authentic and less burdened by inherited pain
• Self-Awareness: You can identify when generational patterns surface and choose different responses
• Narrative Shift: Your family story includes both struggles and strengths, creating a balanced perspective
• Future Orientation: You feel confident about breaking cycles and creating healthier patterns for future generations

Comprehensive Progress Evaluation

We'll conduct a thorough review together. This isn't just about measuring symptoms. It's about celebrating the profound shifts you've experienced.

Using standardized questionnaires that assess depression and anxiety levels, we'll compare your current state to where you began. These tools help us see the measurable changes in your emotional well-being. We'll also explore improvements in your daily functioning, relationship satisfaction, and overall quality of life through comprehensive assessment instruments.

More importantly, we'll reflect on your personal goals. How has your relationship with your family history changed? What new strengths have you discovered? How do you envision your role in your family's ongoing story?

Creating Your Maintenance Plan

Healing isn't a destination. It's an ongoing journey that requires intentional care and attention.

Together, we'll develop your personalized maintenance strategy. This might include monthly check-in sessions to reinforce your progress and address any emerging challenges. We'll identify your key coping strategies and create reminders to use them regularly. You'll also receive resources for continued learning about intergenerational trauma and healing practices.

Your maintenance plan will include warning signs to watch for and clear steps to take if you notice old patterns returning. This isn't about perfection. It's about having tools ready when you need them.

Ongoing Support Options

Your healing journey doesn't end here. Multiple support pathways remain available to you.

Individual counselling sessions can continue on an as-needed basis. Whether you're facing a family crisis, major life transition, or simply want to deepen your healing work, support remains accessible. Group therapy options may also be available, connecting you with others who understand the complexities of generational healing.

For clients across British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Ontario, we offer flexible scheduling through online sessions, phone consultations, and in-person appointments at our Nanaimo location. This ensures geography never becomes a barrier to your continued growth.

Building Your Support Network

Sustainable healing happens within community. We'll help you identify and strengthen your support systems.

This includes family members who support your healing journey, friends who understand your growth, and potentially new connections with others who share similar experiences. We'll also explore community resources, support groups, and cultural practices that align with your values and heritage.

Celebrating Your Transformation

Take a moment to acknowledge what you've accomplished. You've faced generational pain with courage. You've chosen healing over repetition. You've become an active agent of change in your family's story.

This work ripples forward and backward through time. Your healing touches your children, your grandchildren, and even offers a form of healing to your ancestors. You've broken chains that may have bound your family for generations.

Your journey demonstrates that change is possible. That healing can happen. That the stories we inherit don't have to define the stories we create.

Moving Forward with Confidence

As you complete this intensive healing process, remember that growth continues throughout life. New challenges will arise. Family dynamics will shift. Life transitions will test your resilience.

You now have tools, insights, and support systems to navigate whatever comes next. You understand your family patterns without being controlled by them. You can honour your heritage while choosing your own path.

The door remains open. Whether you need a single session to work through a specific challenge or want to embark on deeper healing work, support is always available. Your healing journey is uniquely yours, and we're honoured to have been part of this transformative process.

You've done the work. You've faced the pain. You've chosen healing. Now step forward into your life with confidence, knowing you carry both the wisdom of your ancestors and the power to create positive change for generations to come.