Trauma counselling · London and online in Ontario
Trauma Therapy in London, Ontario
Difficult experiences can keep affecting sleep, relationships, and your sense of ease long after the moment has passed. Therapy offers space to understand what is happening now and work towards changes that matter to you.
- Paulina Dysko, MSW, RSW
- Experience in child welfare and trauma-related work
- In person in London · Virtually across Ontario
What may be bringing you here
You do not need to decide whether your experience was serious enough before asking for support. Trauma affects people differently, and the same concern can have more than one explanation.
- Reminders bring distressing memories, strong feelings, or bodily reactions.
- You feel on guard, irritable, numb, or disconnected from people you care about.
- Sleep, concentration, or ordinary routines have become harder.
- You are avoiding situations or carrying guilt and shame about what happened.
- A single event or repeated experiences still seem to shape daily life.
Support begins with your life now
Your first goals may be practical: sleeping more consistently, understanding a reaction, or feeling more connected at home. Care begins with your concerns, current supports, and what feels manageable to discuss. When appropriate, the plan may include processing difficult experiences alongside support for everyday life.
- Build a shared understanding of what is troubling you and what you want to change.
- Explore ways of responding to distress that fit your circumstances.
- Consider treatment options and review what is helping over time.
Approaches we can discuss
You do not need to select a method before reaching out. These pages explain two approaches offered at Gentle Pathways.
EMDR Therapy
A structured approach to distressing memories, with established evidence for PTSD.
DBR Therapy
An approach that attends to early bodily responses, with a developing research base.
Care may also include noticing stress responses, practical coping support, and work on relationships or daily routines. The plan is tailored to you.
A relationship where your voice matters
Paulina Dysko, MSW, RSW, brings experience in child welfare, forensic collaboration, and supporting people through difficult experiences. At Gentle Pathways, therapy is collaborative: you can ask why an approach is being suggested, say when something does not fit, and revisit goals. Your relationships, environment, and strengths are part of the picture.
Your first steps
Choose an appointment
Use Jane to book an in-person session in London or a virtual session while located in Ontario. If you have practical questions first, contact the practice.
Begin with what matters now
Share what feels manageable about your concerns and what you hope could be different. There is no expectation to tell your full history in the first appointment.
Make and review a plan
Discuss treatment choices, preparation, and a pace that considers your needs. Ongoing check-ins help guide what comes next.
Common questions
Do I need a PTSD diagnosis to seek help?
No. You can seek counselling for difficult experiences and their effects without arriving with a diagnosis. Assessment helps clarify your needs and whether another service or referral would be useful.
Will I have to relive everything?
You will not be asked to share every detail at the first appointment. Some treatments involve attending to distressing memories or sensations, which can be uncomfortable. You can discuss what a method involves, preparation, and ways to pause before agreeing to it.
How do we choose between EMDR, DBR, and other support?
The choice depends on your concerns, preferences, current circumstances, and the evidence for each approach. You do not need to choose a method before booking, and a plan can change as you learn what fits.
Can we work with repeated or longstanding experiences?
You can bring concerns linked to a single event or repeated experiences, including difficulties in important relationships. The scope and pace of care are considered individually; no set number of sessions or particular outcome can be promised.
Can appointments take place online?
Gentle Pathways offers virtual appointments for people located in Ontario, as well as in-person sessions in London. Discuss privacy, access needs, and whether the proposed work suits an online setting.
Practical questions before you begin
Read about Paulina, review fees and practical questions, or contact the practice before booking.
If your concerns relate to frontline work, explore support for first responders.
You do not need the whole story ready
Start with what is getting in the way today. An initial appointment can help you understand your options and decide on a next step.