Trauma
Trauma Counselling
Some of what you carry didn’t start with you. Our counsellors work with trauma — including the intergenerational trauma of residential schools and the policies that followed — and they understand its weight without you having to explain it first. You choose what you talk about and how far you go. Our counsellors are FNHA-registered and bill FNHA directly, and sessions run by video or phone anywhere in British Columbia, or in person in Chilliwack.
- Trauma-informed and culturally safe counsellors
- Our counsellors are FNHA-registered, and we bill FNHA directly
- By video or phone anywhere in BC, or in person in Chilliwack
What this is
Counselling for people living with trauma — what happened to you, and what happened before you. Our counsellors work with the intergenerational trauma of residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, and the child-welfare system, as well as with the ordinary, unlabelled kinds of hurt that don’t come with a history attached.
You do not need a diagnosis to come. You do not need to be sure that what you carry qualifies as trauma. If something is sitting on your chest, that’s reason enough.
Who it’s for
- Survivors, and the children and grandchildren of survivors.
- Anyone who finds themselves carrying something they can’t trace back to a beginning.
- People who have started counselling before and stopped because they were asked to explain too much, too soon.
How the work goes
You are in charge of it. Our counsellors are trauma-informed — the pace is yours, and you decide what is said and what stays unsaid. There is no requirement to retell anything. A first session is often just a conversation about what you want to be different.
Our counsellors are culturally safe, and they understand the weight of residential-school and intergenerational trauma without you having to set the scene.
Our approach
We practise Two-Eyed Seeing — the traditional knowledge of the Stó:lō people held alongside modern clinical care, neither one asked to make room for the other. We are an Indigenous-led practice on Stó:lō territory.
What it costs
Our counsellors are FNHA-registered, and we bill FNHA directly — eligible members pay nothing out of pocket, and there’s no claim to file afterwards. If you’re covered by NIHB instead, or you’re not sure what you’re covered by, ask us and we’ll check with you.
Getting started
Send us a message or call when you’re ready — not before. We’ll help you check your eligibility, match you with a counsellor, and book a first session.
FAQ
Common questions
What is intergenerational trauma?
It’s the harm that passes from one generation to the next when the first generation was never given the room to heal. Residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, and the child-welfare system separated families and interrupted how care and language and parenting were passed down. What arrives in the next generation can look like anxiety, anger, numbness, or grief that seems to have no source.
Do I have to talk about what happened?
No. You decide what is said and what isn’t, in every session. Trauma-informed counselling means the work moves at your pace, and it can be useful without you ever recounting the worst of it. Nothing is required of you that you haven’t agreed to.
I’m a residential school survivor. Will my counsellor understand?
Our counsellors are culturally safe and trauma-informed, and they understand the specific weight of residential-school and intergenerational trauma without you having to set the scene. You are not being asked to educate the person in front of you.
Is trauma counselling covered?
For eligible First Nations members in BC, FNHA’s mental-health benefit may cover counselling sessions. Our counsellors are FNHA-registered and we bill FNHA directly, so eligible members pay nothing out of pocket. We’ll help you check your eligibility before you book.
Can I do this by video, from home?
Yes. We deliver counselling by video or phone anywhere in British Columbia. Some people find it easier to do this work from a room they already feel safe in. If you’d rather be in person, our Chilliwack centre is open to you.
Get started
Book your first session
Tell us a little about what you’re looking for. We’ll help you check your eligibility, match you with a counsellor, and book your first session.
Call us at +1 604-983-4974 or fill out the form, and a representative will reach out.