Clarissa James - RSW - Pain Reprocessing Therapy Practitioner

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Clarissa James - RSW - Pain Reprocessing Therapy Practitioner

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Unlocking lasting relief from chronic pain and trauma through nervous system healing

Counselling | Psychotherapy

Founder - Chickadee Therapy
PRT Practitioner | EMDR Therapist | RSW

1 of 8 mental health counsellors in Ontario with advanced PRT training Clarissa James, RSW — Founder of Chickadee Therapy

Unlocking lasting relief from chronic pain and trauma through nervous system healing

Counselling & psychotherapy for chronic pain and trauma
Consultation for mental health professionals

Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) Practitioner
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapist

1 of 8 mental health professionals in Ontario with advanced PRT training

16/02/2026

🧠 When we try to push pain away, the brain can interpret that as danger.

Your brain’s job is to protect you.
So when pain shows up and the response is “Nope. Not now. Please stop.”
the brain may think:
“This must be important — turn the volume up.”

Not because you’re doing anything wrong —
but because your nervous system is being a very enthusiastic bodyguard.

For many people with chronic pain, the alarm can go off during everyday things like:

Migraines:
• walking into bright light and thinking “this is going to trigger a migraine”
• looking at a phone or computer screen and bracing for pain
• noticing stress and expecting a headache to start

Back or neck pain:
• bending to pick something up and thinking “I’m going to throw my back out”
• sitting for a while and expecting pain when you stand
• turning your head or twisting while waiting for the pain to hit

Stomach or gut pain:
• eating gluten and expecting your stomach to hurt
• eating a normal meal and scanning your body for symptoms
• feeling digestion start and thinking “here we go”
• leaving the house and worrying about needing a bathroom

✨ Often, this isn’t a sign of damage.
It’s protection stuck on high alert.

In Pain Reprocessing Therapy, we help the brain learn a different message:
✔️ “I’m safe right now.”
✔️ “This sensation isn’t dangerous.”
✔️ “We don’t need the alarm blaring.”

Less fighting the pain.
More curiosity.
More reassurance.

And when the brain realizes there’s no emergency?
The pain often softens.

Because sometimes the alarm just needs a calm update —
not a full evacuation plan. 🌱🐦

www.chickadeetherapy.ca

13/02/2026

EMDR: Healing Trauma and Chronic Pain 🐦

EMDR isn’t just for one kind of trauma — it’s effective for:
• PTSD
• Single-incident trauma (car accidents, falls, sudden loss)
• Complex or repeated trauma
• Life experiences that left your nervous system on high alert

It’s also powerful for chronic pain. Trauma can keep the nervous system in “high alert mode,” which can make pain signals louder and more persistent. EMDR helps the brain learn it’s safe again, and when paired with Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), it can be especially effective in helping your nervous system turn down the volume.

How EMDR works (in a nutshell):

1️⃣ Preparation & Safety
Before we start, we make sure you feel supported, grounded, and ready — because no one likes being thrown into the deep end. Think of this as packing your emotional flotation device. 🛟

2️⃣ Target Mapping
We identify which memories to work on, cluster them into themes, and decide what to start with. It’s like making a “to-do list” for your brain — but way more empowering. ✅

3️⃣ Bilateral Stimulation (BLS)
This is the part that helps your brain process safely. Using gentle, guided left-right stimulation (like tapping, eye movements, or sounds), your nervous system gets the chance to update old, stuck signals. Your brain gradually learns: “Ah, this was scary then, but I’m safe now.”

EMDR is gentle, structured, and evidence-based, helping the nervous system process trauma without being overwhelmed. Memories may come up, but you stay supported, grounded, and in control.

💛 Curious if EMDR could help you? Visit www.chickadeetherapy.ca
to learn more or book a consultation. You can also find direct booking links in my social media bio.

11/02/2026

Chronic pain can feel confusing, frustrating, and honestly… a little unfair.
Especially when scans come back “normal,” or you’re stuck in pain and doctors can’t find a clear cause, but your body is still sounding the alarm.

That’s where neuroplastic pain comes in.
It’s real pain — not imagined, not exaggerated — but driven by a nervous system that has learned to stay on high alert. Your brain is trying to protect you… it’s just doing it a bit too well. 🧠💛

At the end of January, I had the honour of co-facilitating the Integrated Path to Healing: Nutrition, Neuroplasticity & Chronic Pain Recovery workshop. In this clip, I’m talking about how neuroplastic pain functions, why it occurs, and how pain pathways can continue long after tissues have healed — or even in the absence of any identifiable injury.

This video is just a small snippet for folks who weren’t able to come out — a gentle window into the nervous system education we shared during the workshop.

The hopeful (and science-backed) part?
If the brain can learn pain, it can also unlearn pain.
No bullying your nervous system. No “think positive and push through.” Just compassionate, evidence-based approaches that target the brain’s pain circuits directly. 🐦

This workshop was co-facilitated with the wonderful Jenni Dean, who brought thoughtful insight into how nutrition and whole-body support play an essential role in chronic pain recovery. Healing works best when we look at the whole picture.

Pain is not a personal failure.
Your nervous system isn’t broken.
And recovery is possible.

— Clarissa

🌐 www.chickadeetherapy.ca

09/02/2026

🧠 What Changes in the Brain With Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)

Chronic pain isn’t just happening in the body — it’s shaped by how the brain interprets safety and danger.

Before Pain Reprocessing Therapy:
• Higher activation in threat, survival, and danger-related brain areas
• The nervous system remains on alert
• Pain is generated as a protective response

After Pain Reprocessing Therapy:
• Reduced activation in threat-related brain circuits
• Increased signals of safety
• The brain no longer needs to produce pain for protection

🧠✨ This is how PRT works.
PRT helps the brain update inaccurate danger predictions and learn that the body is safe.

Brain imaging studies show measurable, physical changes following PRT — including decreased activation in areas associated with fear and threat.
When the brain feels safe, pain signals can quiet.

A nervous system that’s been protecting you very diligently can also learn when it’s okay to stand down.

Your pain is real.
And so is your brain’s capacity for change.

🧠 Website For More Information & Booking Links: www.chickadeetherapy.ca

06/02/2026

🧠 How EMDR Supports Trauma Healing (in plain language)

Trauma isn’t a sign that your brain is broken.
It’s a sign your brain worked very hard to protect you — and didn’t get the chance to finish processing what happened.

EMDR helps the brain and nervous system finish processing trauma that was interrupted by threat.

Through this process, EMDR helps:
✔️ process the memory
✔️ store it properly
✔️ reduce reactions that make it feel like the danger is still happening

The memory doesn’t disappear.
It just stops setting off alarm bells every time something reminds you of it.

Less reactivity.
More choice.
More room to breathe.

(And yes — you don’t have to retell every detail. Your nervous system can unclench a little about that.)

📍 EMDR offered in Paris & Burford at Cobblestone Medicine and Rehab, and virtually across Ontario
🔗 Book via the link in my bio or visit www.chickadeetherapy.ca

04/02/2026

❄️ Did you know your body has a built-in “oops, I fell in cold water” survival mode?

Meet the mammalian diving reflex—nature’s way of saying, “don’t panic, I’ve got this!” 🐬 When your face hits cold water (or even just ice cubes), your heart rate slows, blood shifts to protect vital organs, and your body conserves energy—basically putting you on autopilot so you can survive.

It’s like your body has a tiny, efficient, internal lifeguard… even if you didn’t sign up for it. 😅

In this video, I’ll show you a simple (and slightly shocking 😅) way to activate the mammalian diving reflex using cold water or ice cubes. It’s a reminder that our bodies are wired to protect us—even if that protection sometimes shows up as stress, freeze, or feeling stuck. By practicing and noticing these reflexes, we can help our nervous system relax, regulate, and feel safer, even when we’re nowhere near a pool. 🌿

💡 Bonus: it’s fun, a little shocking, and yes… your inner dolphin might thank you. 🐬

🌿 www.chickadeetherapy.ca

02/02/2026

✨ Grateful for kind words ✨

I’m so touched by this thoughtful note from my former colleague, Christine Winkle:

"I have had the privilege of working alongside Clarissa. She has a wealth of expertise and experience with trauma, addictions, and mental health concerns. Clarissa is a calm, warm, and understanding therapist, always ensuring you feel seen and validated."

Working alongside amazing professionals like Christine has reminded me how important it is to create a safe, compassionate space where people feel truly seen and heard. 💛

At Chickadee Therapy, I combine evidence-based approaches like Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) and EMDR with a trauma-informed, nervous system–aware approach to help people move out of pain, heal past experiences, and step into lives that feel freer and more meaningful. I support people with trauma, chronic pain, mental health concerns, and addictions.

I’m grateful for the trust of colleagues and clients alike, and I love being able to do this work every day—supporting people as they reclaim their lives from trauma, chronic pain, addiction, and mental health challenges. 🌿

🌿 www.chickadeetherapy.ca

30/01/2026

Hello, nice to meet you! 👋

I’m Clarissa, founder of Chickadee Therapy, and a Registered Social Worker, Pain Reprocessing Therapy Practitioner, and EMDR Therapist. I help people heal trauma and chronic pain using neuroscience-based therapies that calm the nervous system and bring lasting relief—so you can finally stop feeling like your body and brain are secretly plotting against you. 😅

Chickadee Therapy is a gentle, compassionate space for people ready to break free from pain and trauma. I absolutely love working with those committed to healing and tired of treatments that haven’t worked.

Living with chronic pain or trauma can feel exhausting. Your body hurts, old experiences resurface, and nothing seems to stick. I’ve been there too—I lived with chronic migraine and found my way out through Pain Reprocessing Therapy and nervous system work. Now, I help others do the same.

Many clients have struggled for years—sometimes decades—feeling stuck and hopeless. Using gentle, science-backed approaches, we focus on rewiring the brain and calming the nervous system. The result? Real relief, renewed hope, and lives that feel lighter, more spacious, and maybe even a little fun again. 🎉

Whether you’re frustrated by treatments that haven’t worked, worried pain or trauma will always hold you back, or ready to feel peace in your body and mind—I’m here to help. Together, we can open the door to a fresh chapter full of balance, hope, and possibility.

I’m 1 of only 8 mental health therapists in Ontario with advanced Pain Reprocessing Therapy training. I primarily use PRT and EMDR, and also integrate other evidence-based tools—so your treatment plan is tailored to you. These approaches have strong evidence for reducing and eliminating chronic pain and trauma symptoms—and yes, they actually work!

Curious how we can work together? Click the link in my bio to schedule an appointment or a free 15-minute consultation.

I’m so glad you’re here. This is the work I love—helping people find freedom from pain and trauma, move out of survival mode, and step back into lives that feel freer, more meaningful, and truly theirs. 💛

—Clarissa

🌿 www.chickadeetherapy.ca

28/01/2026

🌿 Last Call for NeuroEase 🌿
(A gentle nudge, not a pressure alarm 🚨)

NeuroEase begins February 2nd — and there are just a few spots left.

If chronic pain has been keeping your nervous system on high alert, this group is designed to help you:
• Understand pain through a brain-based, trauma-informed lens
• Reduce fear around sensations
• Learn tools that help your nervous system feel safer
• Practice healing in a supportive group (no fixing required)

This isn’t about pushing through pain or “doing it perfectly.”
It’s about learning safety, curiosity, and ease — together.

If you’ve been on the fence, consider this your kind reminder:
✨ You don’t have to do this alone
✨ And you don’t have to wait until things feel “bad enough”

🗓 Starts February 2nd
👥 Very limited spots remaining

👉 Register by calling 519-442-2237
🌐 www.chickadeetherapy.ca

26/01/2026

Your last chapter doesn’t define your next one 🐦📖

Sometimes life writes chapters that feel heavy, confusing, or downright painful. Trauma, chronic pain, or hard experiences can make it feel like the story will never change.

It’s common to think: “My past predicts my future.” But here’s the truth: your past doesn’t have the final say. Healing gives you permission to turn the page.

You don’t have to carry the same plot twists, same characters, or same fear into the next chapter. You can write new moments of calm, joy, connection, and safety — even if the pen feels a little wobbly at first.

Think of it like this: your last chapter might have been a horror movie, but your next one? Could be a quirky dramedy, a cozy mystery, or even a heartfelt rom-com — with snacks. 🍿💛

Healing isn’t about erasing the past — it’s about giving your nervous system and your brain the space to tell a new story. And you get to be the author.

So: deep breath, soft heart, new chapter. Turn the page — your story isn’t over yet. What are you going to write in this next chapter for yourself?

www.chickadeetherapy.ca

23/01/2026

Chronic pain is like an overprotective guard dog 🐕

Imagine pain as a guard dog whose job is to keep you safe.
At first, it was helpful. It barked when there was real danger.

But over time, it learned to bark at…
• the mail carrier
• the wind
• a leaf thinking about falling
• literally everything

Loud. Intense. Constantly on alert.

That’s what chronic pain can be like — a nervous system that learned the world isn’t safe, and now sounds the alarm even when there’s no real threat.

Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) doesn’t try to fight the dog, ignore it, or yell “stop barking.”
Instead, it helps retrain the dog by repeatedly sending messages of safety.

Over time, the dog learns:
✨ The house is safe
✨ The mail carrier is not a threat
✨ We do not need to bark at every sensation

When the brain truly feels safer, pain often turns down — not because it was “all in your head,” but because the alarm system no longer needs to be on high alert.

No bad dogs here.
Just a nervous system that learned to protect — and can learn something new.

www.chickadeetherapy.ca

21/01/2026

Deep breathing: not just for yoga retreats (or bear escapes) 🐦🐻

If your breathing is shallow and your heart is racing, your nervous system is doing exactly what it evolved to do:
👉 sending blood to your muscles so you can run from a bear (or, more realistically, open an email that felt… threatening).

That’s your fight-or-flight system at work. Excellent for survival. Less helpful for chronic stress, pain, or trying to relax on your couch.

When we slow and deepen our breathing, we send a different message to the brain:
🧠 “I’m safe enough right now.”

This helps activate the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) nervous system — the part that supports calm, digestion, healing, and pain regulation.

Here’s the sneaky (science-backed) part:
💡 Deep breathing can “trick” the brain into feeling safer, even if life hasn’t changed. Slower breaths → slower heart rate → different blood flow → fewer danger signals.

For chronic pain, this matters. When the brain receives repeated messages of safety, pain signals often turn down over time. Breathing is one simple way to help your nervous system remember:
✨ This moment is not an emergency.

No bears were harmed in the making of this exercise.
Just a nervous system practicing safety, grounding, and a little less urgency.

Try it gently. No forcing. Your nervous system responds best to kindness — not performance.

www.chickadeetherapy.ca

Address

Cobblestone Medicine And Rehab (25 Curtis Ave N, Paris ON)

N3L 3W1

Website

https://cobblestonemedicineandrehab.janeapp.com/locations/cobblestone-medicine-and-rehab-paris-hub/book?fbclid=PAb21jcAM

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