Institute for Trauma & Stress Recovery

04/20/2026

We are excited to have CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association) join us on the 1st Thursday of each month for Drop-in Support here at the West Perth Public Library.

04/20/2026

Ashley is offering some walk & talk therapy, just in time for the warmer weather we've all been waiting for. ☀️

Counselling & Psychotherapy Services

04/02/2026

Send a message to learn more

03/31/2026

We’re so excited to welcome our newest psychotherapist, Monica Harwood, MSW RSW! 💛

With over 10 years of experience in healthcare and palliative care, along with several years in private practice, Monica brings warmth, compassion, and deep clinical knowledge to her work. Her approach is relaxed, non-judgmental, and strength-based.

She supports individuals and couples navigating anxiety, depression, mood disorders, autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities, grief and anticipatory grief, terminal illness, caregiver stress (including Alzheimer’s and dementia care), self-esteem, communication challenges, boundaries, conflict, and relationship concerns.

Her work integrates CBT, DBT, the Gottman Method, Emotion-Focused Therapy, mindfulness, and the Gentle Persuasive Approach (GPA) in dementia care.

If you’re looking for support with anxiety, couples counselling, grief therapy, caregiver support, or relationship growth, she would be honoured to walk alongside you.

✨ Now accepting new clients.

info@stephaniemoffit.com
519-668-2407
stephaniemoffit.com

11/14/2025

Sometimes calm doesn’t feel calm, it feels unsafe.

If you’ve lived in survival mode for a long time, your nervous system can interpret chaos as normal and stillness as danger.

So when things finally quiet down, your nervous system might go on high alert, waiting for the next threat.

You might think:

“Why can’t I just relax?”
“Something feels wrong, even though everything’s fine.”

That’s not you being dramatic. That’s your body still learning what safety feels like.

Healing means slowly teaching your nervous system that peace doesn’t have to mean danger is coming.
That stillness can be safe.
That rest is allowed.

🌿 Be patient with yourself, you're unlearning a lifetime of alarms.

11/07/2025

You catch yourself waiting for something bad to happen.
You miss the familiar chaos that used to mean “normal.”
You realize peace feels uncomfortable, almost suspicious.

That’s not self-sabotage, that’s your nervous system learning a new pattern.
Safety takes practice when you’ve lived in survival mode.

It’s okay if calm feels strange at first.
You’re not going backward, you’re retraining your body to trust peace. 🌿

10/29/2025

If you’ve ever felt like you swing between anxiety and numbness, you’re not broken.
Your body is doing its best to keep you safe. 💛

The Window of Tolerance is your body’s comfort zone for stress and emotion.

When you leave it, it’s not failure. It’s information.

Each time you notice it, you’re already healing.

You don’t have to force yourself to be calm. You can practice safety one breath at a time.

10/24/2025

🌱 Small steps are still steps forward.

Healing is a journey, not a race. Every moment you choose to show up for yourself, no matter how small, is a powerful act of courage. 💛

Whether it’s getting out of bed, setting a boundary, or simply taking a deep breath—you’re making progress. And that matters.

✨ Be gentle with yourself. You’re doing better than you think.

10/22/2025

EMDR isn’t magic — but it can feel like it. 💫

It helps your brain process painful memories that once felt “stuck,” so they no longer control your present. 🧠✨

But let’s be real. EMDR isn’t always easy. Sometimes sessions bring up deep emotions, vivid dreams, or temporary discomfort. Healing takes courage, and that courage is the work. 💪

If you’ve ever felt “stuck” in the past, EMDR might help you move forward — gently, at your own pace, and with the support of a trained therapist. 🌿

💬 Save this post to come back to later
💌 Share it with someone who’s healing
🔖 Ask your therapist if EMDR could be a good fit for you

10/19/2025

POV: You pause mid-conversation and realize… you don’t need to over-explain yourself to feel safe anymore.

You catch that familiar tension in your shoulders and take a deep breath instead of pushing through.

You start saying no without apologizing.

You stop chasing people who make you feel small.

You notice your body asking for rest — and you listen.

Healing doesn’t always look dramatic.
Sometimes it’s in the quiet choices that no one else sees — the ones that tell your nervous system:

👉 “We’re safe now.”

✨ Be proud of the small shifts. They’re actually huge.