Mental health & healing

What to know first

• Trauma from abusive relationships can show up as PTSD, anxiety, depression, difficulty trusting, or physical symptoms. All of this is real and all of it is treatable.
• Trauma-informed therapy is different from regular therapy. The therapist understands how trauma works and moves at your pace. You'll never be pushed.
• You don't have to be in crisis to access support. Therapy, peer groups, and community programs are there at any stage of healing, including long after you've left.
• Victim Services programs in every province offer free, confidential counselling for survivors. You qualify as a victim of a crime.
• Peer support — talking with other women who've been through similar experiences — can be just as powerful as formal therapy. You're not alone in this.
• Your kids may also be carrying the weight of what happened. Child-specific trauma therapy is available and often free through victim services.

Canadian resources