Wild Journey Recovery

05/25/2025

𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘺?

Our respiratory system is one that we can consciously control, while at the same time, we can trust that unconsciously, our body will breathe for us. Imagine if we had to 24/7 remember to breathe. Talk about exhausting, we wouldn’t get anything done!

Breath is one of the most powerful regulators of the nervous system.

It directly impacts the stress response, sending signals to the threat center in the brain that we are safe and not in danger. This can allow us to stay grounded under pressure.

Not only does it signal safety, but the more oxygen we can allow into the body, the more fuel the brain receives, which allows for more fuel to move through life and the world (and to remember to utilize the practices and tools your therapist suggests!).

So next time your therapist incorporates breathing techniques into your session, consider practicing it so that when you are under stress, your system can slip into the habit of leaning on your breath to help decrease the overwhelm.

And wherever you are while reading this. . .I invite you to take a moment and sip in a deep inhale through the nose, and exhale out of the mouth longer than your inhale. Release and let it go. You got this ✨

*Please know this is for educational purposes and does not replace therapy with a trained professional.

05/16/2025

𝘛𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦

Are you hyperindependent? The person who finds it difficult to ask for support, let alone receive it with ease? Experiencing a lack of trust in others and the world.

Well, this was me for years.
This lack of trust in the receiving, believing that I was the only one who could get the job done and financially support myself, led to hyper-independence, perfectionism and workaholism. I could not trust others or the world because of my history. And as a result pushed the world away, including the people who loved me. 

I had to build and expand the capacity of my nervous system to feel safe in receiving.

If our childhood homes were a place where receiving something was conditional or it wasn’t even available from our caregivers, our nervous system could clock receiving from others as a threat, spiralling our system into the stress response, triggering real discomfort in the face of receiving.
Receiving in the form of the tangible, like money and the intangible, like love and appreciation.

We must unlearn the conditioning that it’s not safe to receive, and thus we are not worthy to receive.
We must then cultivate safety in receiving and finding the evidence in our lives that it is okay to receive love, support, acceptance so on.

In our society and the culture of the West, being hyper-independent and self-reliant can be seen as a badge of honour, but funnily enough, it can drive further disconnection, reinforcing these survival patterns.

When we move towards safety, we can expand our capacity to not only receive from the external world, including others, but also receive our sense of self that may have been lost throughout our lives.

If you’re interested in learning more, please reach out.

*Please know this is for educational purposes and does not replace therapy with a trained professional.

05/12/2025

𝘈 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘔𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘋𝘢𝘺

this day brings in the beautiful moments of love and gratitude, of hugs and gifts, of the recognition of the one who birthed us into this world.

and yet,
this day can also be a tender day for folks
a reminder of what has been lost and gone
of missing moments
of unmet expectations
and memories that don’t match hallmark cards.

there can be grief that lands on a day meant to celebrate. and although we celebrate some of us also grieve. both can exist at once.

so wherever you land on this Sunday, please know you’re not alone.

Motherhood takes on many versions and shapes, and stories.

may you find love in all versions of family 🤍

03/19/2025

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴

Living with and overcoming a mental health crisis and illness is riddled with loss.

The loss can be so subtle, moments accumulating over time, or can take your breath away in an instant.

Either way, it’s complicated.
You are still immersed in the context of your life, yet there is a void that you can’t quite fill because the part of you that may know how to fill it feels so far away.

People talk about the grief of receiving a health condition or a diagnosis such as cancer, but rarely do people understand the catastrophic loss associated with mental illness and the toll it takes on an individual.
The toll it takes on a community too.

Your grief is valid.
Give yourself permission to tend to it.
Don’t rush it; move slow.
Lean in.
Trust me, it may feel like it will swallow you whole, but it won’t.
It will eventually shift and change you.
And remember
If you have been through your mental health challenges, you can move through this.

*Please know this is for educational purposes and does not replace therapy with a trained professional.

03/13/2025

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘴.

How many of you hate your bodies?
How many of you shame yourself if you eat something that could ‘make you fat’?
How many of you have spent years looking in the mirror with disgust?
How many of you wish your bodies looked different?

I spent years here. Dancing left quite an impact on how I related to my body.
Managing how my body looked became an obsession.
Eating disorders and smoking to curb hunger were the accepted culture in the rooms where I danced through childhood into adolescence.
I spent years hating my body.
I spent years exercising for punishment because I had a cookie.
And I didn’t even enjoy the cookie because of the shame and guilt that riddled my mind.

We live in a culture where we are receiving subliminal messages that our bodies must look a certain way, and if it doesn’t, we don’t belong | we’re flawed.
We prioritize our minds over our bodies.
We prioritize work over play.
We live disconnected from the wisdom of our bodies.
We live disconnected from the innate flow of life in our culture.
We push through until our bodies finally say no.

This was my reality.
Until my body made me stop.
With injuries and mysterious symptoms.
I felt like the walking dead.
It took years, but I found my way back.
I still have days, but my life is so much richer.
And I enjoy the damn cookie.

If you’re reading this and it’s landing, I want you to know you are not flawed
your body is beautiful
your body is wise
your body is enough.
Perhaps take one small moment to pause and check-in: how are you body? what do you need?

Thank you, body, for all you do for me.
Thank you.

02/27/2025

𝘈𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳

Healing does not happen solo.
Humans are wired for connection and so, healing happens in connection.

This is the power of therapy.
One of the highest predictors of client success is determined not by the quantity and type of modalities but instead by the therapeutic alliance.

The client-therapist relationship can sometimes be the first place . . .
where folks feel a sense of safety.
where someone feels witnessed in their story.
where someone can feel compassion and kindness.

These are the subtle yet powerful indicators that can nudge you towards healing.

Sometimes, we just need the right context to give ourselves permission to heal.

*Please know this is for educational purposes and does not replace therapy with a trained professional.

02/19/2025

𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢?

Firstly, we acknowledge the pain, powerlessness, loss of control and lack of safety.

We do ask for trauma or distressing events. Yet it impacts the lives of many daily.

Secondly, we access the pain through the body because, yes, the body keeps the score, alongside the nervous system, which directly communicates to our fear center in the brain.

But we do not release the trauma from our body, instead, we do the courageous act of leaning in and sitting with everything we feel around the experience.

𝙒𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙣𝙪𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨.

We each have a 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣, and it is possible to access it again by creating the space for our system to process and complete the stress cycle and naturally do what it needs to heal.

We do not force.
We go at the pace of your nervous system.
𝙎𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙨𝙩.
Slow is more than enough when there’s been a deep break in safety.

Please reach out with any questions.

*Please know this is for educational purposes and does not replace therapy with a trained professional. I recommend working with a trained therapist in trauma-focused modalities, including clinical somatic modalities such as sensorimotor psychotherapy, somatic experiencing and hakomi.

01/09/2025

✨Hi there! ✨

My name is Theresa & I am a Registered Social Worker located in Calgary, AB.

I am a somatic therapist with a passion of helping others break free from experiences that can create pain & suffering in their lives. My approach is person-centred which means it is individualized for YOU, because you are unique & have unique needs.

I am also trained in various trauma focused modalities & have been learning about this for over a decade. I believe trauma healing requires a holistic & gentle approach.

I also hold the belief that humans need humans to heal. So as another human here are some facts about me:

1. I LOVE the mountains & rock climbing. I thrive in the mountains & it was nature that was part of healing my own mental health challenges.

2. I’m a born & raised Calgarian however, I have travelled & lived abroad, something that helped shaped the woman I am today.

3. I initially wanted to become a Doctor however, life happened throwing a huge wrench in that plan & 12 years later after a long healing journey I returned to graduate school to become a therapist.

4. I believe education is empowering & part of my work with clients is teaching them to understand how what happened to them impacted their mind, brain, body & nervous system.

5. I have been practicing yoga since I was 17 years old (over 20 years!) & I travelled to Brazil many moons ago to do my yoga teacher training & since then have trained in many mindfulness & meditation trainigs. All of which I weave into my work with clients.

I am not an expert in your life, but I will be a guide to help you re-remember who was lost. I was lost too once & with the help of others I found my way back. If you are seeking support & feel I would be a good fit please don’t hesitate to reach out. I offer a free 15 minute consultation call. I look forward to meeting you.

- Theresa

Trauma-informed somatic therapist offering individual in-person sessions within the city of Calgary and virtually for residents of Alberta. A therapist who is passionate about providing a place for people to overcome trauma, addiction and other mental health concerns from a holistic and body-centred

12/30/2024

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘺𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴

The start of the year often brings pressure to “hit the ground running” with resolutions and big changes. But let’s not forget: we’re in the middle of winter—a season naturally meant for slowing down, resting, and reflecting.

After the busyness of the holidays, your body and mind may be craving restoration—not hustle. Especially if the holidays are triggering and challenging for you. Your nervous system needs the space to recover. It’s okay to prioritize rest, warmth, and quiet moments to recharge your energy.

January doesn’t have to be about radical transformation or “fixing yourself.” Instead, let it be about nurturing yourself—whether that looks like extra sleep, nourishing meals, journaling, or simply giving yourself permission to pause.

Don’t get me wrong if you wish. . .Dream big for the year ahead, and I lovingly challenge you to ask, ‘Where are my energy levels at?’ If you don’t have the energy to start a new routine right now, that’s okay. And if you do, that’s great too. Nature reminds us that growth has its seasons—and winter is for rest and restoration.

You’re already enough just as you are. Growth and change will come in their own time.