Welcome to

Come along this journey with me....

Hello, I'm Nicole

Thank-you for coming to this page, this is where I get to tell you all about me and what you can expect when you're in session with me. Even though I have a specialized education and letters beside my name, I want you to know that I am not one of "those" therapists that will sit quietly and say "how does that make you feel?"

I am every bit as real as you are and understand that I am not the expert, you are. You know yourself best! I'm just trained in facilitating conversations in a way that can help you reach the change you are hoping for. I want you to have a space where you don't have to worry about being judged, or told what to do, a space where you can feel safe to talk about whatever you need, and a space that is just for you.

So come on, follow along with me and read through this page so I can bring you along a journey for you to decide if therapy with me is the best choice for you! Welcome and I hope you stay!

Once upon a time....

...there was a person who needed support and didn't know where to turn.

This person was me! As a survivor of sexual assault, I felt like this was a battle I had to endure on my own. I felt alone and believed that no one would understand and thought that people would judge me if they only knew. I couldn't trust anyone and I was constantly living in fear. I did whatever I could to avoid the thoughts and the memories. I coped with my pain through various unhealthy ways because that was what took the pain away. I engaged in impulsive and risky behaviors and I blamed myself for what happened.

I was wrong.......

I was not alone

It took me a long time to realize this.

I started to volunteer at a crisis center and became an advocate for sexual assault survivors. Through this process I was able to sit with other people who were just like me: feeling scared and alone, having their choice taken from them, and not knowing where to turn. People who were struggling with their mental health and past traumas.

I continue to be a sexual assault advocate and provide support for individuals through medical testing, police statements, accessing resources and help to set them up with counselling and appropriate supports.

I continue to support people who are struggling through their symptoms of trauma and with their mental health and we are very much not alone in these struggles.

Understanding is subjective

I have to be honest, there are people in this world who wont understand, and that's ok! The only person who needs to understand what happened to you or how your mental health affects you, is YOU.

Once you are able to learn how your struggles and experiences have shaped who you are, you can then start to learn how to communicate your needs with others.

I may not be able to understand what your situation was like from your perspective, but I can empathize with your pain and I can sit with you, whatever you need, so you don't have to go through that alone. I understand the grave toll that our past traumas, mental health, and sexual assault can have on our every day functioning. I understand the pain and the struggle. I can help you to understand what it's like for you, so you can start to support yourself and communicate your needs in the best way possible.

There are people you can trust

This may seem like a wild and outrageous statement given that you are probably feeling like it's impossible to trust yourself, let alone trust anyone else. But trust me, it's possible, it takes some work, but it's possible.

People who have experienced trauma have an overactivated amygdala - our emotional part of our brain that controls the flight, fight, or freeze response - and that makes us feel like no where is safe and therefore everything is to be feared (or most things). Because of this, our brains also make us believe that we can't trust anyone because it doesn't feel safe. This is a normal trauma response. You are not crazy for feeling this way!

Through re-training your brain and learning how to activate the part of your brain where you make logical decisions - our pre-frontal cortex - you can start to calm that fear response, reduce your anxiety, feel safe, and learn to trust again

Healing

I was wrong.......

Living Free Psychotherapy is a place where you can find healing from your trauma in a safe and non-judgmental space. It's time to live free from your trauma symptoms, it's time to live free from the anxiety and depression that's been keeping you stuck, it's time to start living the life you want.

How it all started...

Now that I have told you a little bit about me and my experiences, I would like to tell you a little bit about Living Free Psychotherapy and how it was created.

I always knew from a young age that I wanted to do something that made a difference in this world, but what that was, I had no clue. I went from job to job trying to figure out where I fit and where I could make a difference in someone's life.

I finished my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Conflict Resolution and still had no idea where to turn, then I found counselling and my world was changed. While I was I completing my Masters of Counselling Psychology (MACP), I became a sexual assault advocate and crisis counsellor. I felt like this was where I was needed, like I was put on this earth to help other people find their voice, to help support people when they are at their lowest and sit in the dark with others when they are struggling.

After graduating with my MACP, I immediately went into my own private practice. With the support of my amazing supervisor, I was able to focus my practice in providing therapy for individuals who have experienced trauma, sexual assault, and for various mental health disorders.

Living Free Psychotherapy was created because I know that there is treatment and support for PTSD, sexual assault survivors, veterans

Support & Information

Fees & Insurance

FAQ's

Confidentiality & Standards of Practice

Contact

The office is located on Treaty One Territory

161 Stafford Street Unit 1, Winnipeg, MB, R3M 2V8

nicole@livingfreepsychotherapy.ca

Tel: 204-791-3389

Services

Trauma Therapy

Sexual Assault Therapy

Mental Health Therapy

Couples Counselling

Contact me today!

Step #1:
Book a consultation

Schedule a free consultation by clicking "Book Now". This will bring you to the Living Free Psychotherapy booking page where you can select a time that works best for you.

The initial consultation is a free 20 minute meeting with a therapist so you can get to know there education and experience and get a deeper understanding of their therapeutic styles and approaches

Step #2:
Create a Treatment Plan

During your initial consultation your therapist will work with you to decide which treatment plan might be best for you.

Treatment plans are created based on your individual needs and are designed to help guide and support the therapist in assisting you to meet your therapeutic goals. Treatment plans grow and change throughout therapy as your needs change.

Step #3:
Therapy and Support

Sessions are 60 minutes and the frequency is determined during the treatment planning phase.

Typically, people start with weekly sessions and move to bi-weekly sessions after some progress has been made. However some treatment plans can be multiple times per week if that is something you would like.

Your therapist will continue to see you as per your treatment plan or until you wish to terminate therapy.

Step #4:
Termination

Once you have moved through your treatment plan and are feeling successful in therapy, termination of therapy is something that many people strive for. Your therapist will discuss what termination looks like and how they will be able to support you through that transition.