Sepideh Hossaini
MA, Registered Psychotherapist
Trauma Therapy in Newmarket
When Old Wounds Still Affect How You Feel, Relate, And Respond
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Do you constantly feel “on guard” in relationships?
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Do you find yourself people-pleasing, shrinking yourself, or walking on eggshells to avoid conflict?
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Do you struggle to fully relax, trust others, or feel emotionally safe?
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Do certain situations or relationships feel more emotionally triggering than they “should”?
Trauma can continue affecting how we relate to ourselves, others, and the world long after difficult experiences have passed.
Sometimes trauma is connected to emotionally unsafe relationships, attachment wounds, chronic stress, emotional neglect, criticism, immigration stress, or constantly needing to stay in survival mode.
Many people continue functioning outwardly while internally feeling emotionally overwhelmed, hypervigilant, disconnected, or exhausted from always anticipating what could go wrong.
Over time, living in survival mode can feel emotionally, mentally, physically, and relationally exhausting.
Therapy may provide a supportive space to better understand these responses with greater compassion and awareness.
Many Trauma Responses Start As Ways To Stay Safe
Trauma does not always come from one major event.
Sometimes trauma develops slowly through repeated emotional experiences that leave someone feeling unsafe, unseen, criticized, rejected, or emotionally alone.
For some people, survival may have looked like:
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becoming hyper-independent
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constantly staying alert
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emotionally shutting down
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avoiding conflict
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people-pleasing
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prioritizing others’ needs over their own
These responses may have once helped you cope or adapt in environments that did not always feel emotionally safe.
Over time, however, remaining in chronic survival mode can leave individuals feeling disconnected, emotionally reactive, exhausted, or unable to fully relax. Many trauma survivors carry significant shame about how they respond emotionally or relationally.
Learning about trauma and the nervous system can often help reduce self-blame and increase self-understanding.
How Trauma May Show Up In Daily Life
Trauma can affect emotions, relationships, the body, and the nervous system in different ways.
For some, trauma may show up as chronic stress, hypervigilance, emotional overwhelm, fear of rejection, overthinking, people-pleasing, or difficulty trusting others.
Others may notice:
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walking on eggshells in relationships
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difficulty setting boundaries
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emotional shutdown or numbness
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overreacting during conflict
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feeling unsafe in closeness or vulnerability
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constantly anticipating danger or rejection
Living in survival mode for long periods of time can feel exhausting and isolating.
Trauma Therapy For Nervous System Regulation And Relational Healing
My approach to trauma therapy is gentle, collaborative, and paced based on each client’s needs and comfort level.
I do not believe trauma therapy needs to feel rushed or overwhelming. Therapy may involve first building emotional safety, grounding tools, and nervous system regulation before exploring more difficult experiences.
My work is informed by Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, somatic therapy, mindfulness-based approaches, attachment-based perspectives, and Solution-Focused Therapy.
Trauma therapy may involve exploring how your nervous system learned to adapt and survive difficult experiences.
Together, we may explore:
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grounding and regulation tools
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body awareness
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emotional awareness
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attachment patterns
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relational triggers
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boundaries
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self-compassion
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people-pleasing patterns
Many individuals begin therapy carrying significant shame about how they react emotionally or relationally. Over time, some clients begin understanding their responses through a more compassionate and nervous-system-informed lens.
As a certified Solution-Focused Therapist, I also work from a strengths-based perspective. Alongside exploring pain and survival patterns, therapy may also involve recognizing resilience, protective adaptations, and the strengths that helped you survive difficult experiences.
The goal is not perfection. Often, the goal may be learning how to move through life with less shame, less survival mode, and a greater sense of connection to yourself and others.
Common Concerns About Starting Trauma Therapy
Many people worry:
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“What if I get overwhelmed?”
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“I don’t know where to start.”
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“My trauma wasn’t bad enough.”
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“I’ve been surviving this long already.”
These concerns are very common.
Trauma therapy does not need to involve immediately revisiting overwhelming experiences before feeling ready.
Part of the process may involve first learning grounding tools, mindfulness practices, body awareness, and nervous system regulation strategies to help create greater emotional safety and stability.
It is also important to know that trauma does not always come from one major incident. Relational wounds, emotional neglect, chronic stress, criticism, or long-term emotional invalidation may also leave lasting emotional and nervous system impacts.
Many individuals come to therapy after years of surviving. Sometimes the goal is not only survival anymore, but learning how to feel safer, more connected, and more grounded in daily life.
You Do Not Have To Carry This Alone
Healing from trauma can feel overwhelming and isolating, especially when you have spent a long time in survival mode.
Many people find it helpful to have a supportive space where they can slow down, better understand their nervous system responses, and begin reconnecting with themselves with less shame and greater self-compassion.
I offer consultation calls where we can discuss your questions, explore whether therapy may be an appropriate fit for your needs.
