Sexual Trauma and Gender Based Violence Support

Experiences of sexual violence, intimate partner violence, exploitation, or coercion can affect many parts of your life. You may find it difficult to feel safe, trust others, connect with your body, or make sense of what happened. You may also be carrying fear, anger, shame, grief, or conflicting emotions that are difficult to put into words.

There is no single way to respond to trauma, and there is no timeline for healing.

At Four Wings Psychology, we provide trauma informed support for people who have experienced sexual and gender based violence in Kanata and virtually across Ontario. Our approach prioritizes safety, autonomy, and respect, giving you space to process your experiences without judgment or pressure.

Trauma can affect much more than memories of what happened. It can influence your nervous system, relationships, sense of identity, and ability to feel safe in everyday life.

You may notice

• Anxiety, fear, or hypervigilance
• Feeling disconnected from yourself or your body
• Difficulty trusting others
• Challenges with intimacy or sexual relationships
• Shame, guilt, or self blame
• Emotional numbness or feeling shut down
• Intrusive memories or reminders of past experiences
• Difficulty setting or maintaining boundaries
• Feeling uncertain about your needs, choices, or sense of self

Your responses are understood within the context of what you have experienced. Therapy can help you approach them with greater understanding and compassion.

Experiences of violence don't happen outside of culture, identity, or community. Race, gender, sexuality, immigration experiences, disability, financial circumstances, family expectations, and access to support can all influence how violence is experienced and how safe it feels to seek help.

Our approach is trauma informed, culturally responsive, LGBTQ2S+ affirming, and respectful of diverse experiences with sexuality and relationships.

We recognize that some clients may also carry experiences of discrimination, stigma, or systems that have not responded to them with the care they needed.

There is room for all of these parts of your experience in therapy.

What happened to you doesn't have to define every part of what comes next.

Therapy can provide space to understand your experiences, reconnect with your own needs and boundaries, and gradually build a greater sense of safety, choice, and connection.

At Four Wings Psychology, we'll meet you with compassion, respect, and care as you decide what healing looks like for you.