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Psychotherapy The best care I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It’s easy. Just click “Edit Text” or double click me to add your own content and make changes to the font. Feel free to drag and drop me anywhere you like on your page. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you. This is a great space to write long text about your company and your services. You can use this space to go into a little more detail about your company. Talk about your team and what services you provide. Tell your visitors the story of how you came up with the idea for your business and what makes you different from your competitors. Make your company stand out and show your visitors who you are.

PTSD for First Responders Because our therapists have experience working with first responders, we understand how your needs differ from the general population. You do not need to be worried that we will be shocked or horrified by your stories. We provide a safe place for you to share your experiences. Most first responders who suffer from PTSD cannot identify one single event as the cause of their injury. Because of the nature of your jobs, you are exposed to many potentially traumatic events over the course of your career. You might be afraid to admit you are suffering from PTSD symptoms because you think it makes you weak or a failure. This is a natural reaction, given the environment in which you work, but please know that it is not true. Although there is no formula that will automatically predict who will suffer from PTSD and who will not, your courage and strength of character is not a determining factor.

CPT Therapy - Cognitive Processing Therapy I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It’s easy. Just click “Edit Text” or double click me to add your own content and make changes to the font. Feel free to drag and drop me anywhere you like on your page. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you. This is a great space to write long text about your company and your services. You can use this space to go into a little more detail about your company. Talk about your team and what services you provide. Tell your visitors the story of how you came up with the idea for your business and what makes you different from your competitors. Make your company stand out and show your visitors who you are.

Kathryn Knight has a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology degree from Yorkville University and is a member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists (OACCPP) and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). She works with first Katrina Katrina 905-635-7770 Katrina volunteered with Dr. Laidlaw & Associates in the summer of 2025, supporting the teams’ research initiatives. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and Sociology at Queen’s University.

Group therapy is a process where a small group of people (generally six to ten individuals) meets on a regular basis with a therapist/facilitator to discuss an issue common to all participants. Under the direction of the facilitator, group members explore and share their stories. Group Therapy Group therapy is a process where a small group of people (generally six to ten individuals) meets on a regular basis with a therapist/facilitator to discuss an issue common to all participants. Under the direction of the facilitator, group members explore and share their stories, receive encouragement from others, and learn coping strategies. In a safe and supportive environment, group members work together to heal their emotional wounds and meet their therapeutic goals.

Here we have resources which all of our therapists utilize and offer to you. There are apps, videos, books, and mindfulness meditations for your information. Resources Apps Breathe2Relax OSI Connect Be Safe PTSD Coach Canada PTSD Family Coach MindshiftCBT Sanvello Happify iBreathe Videos "Beyond The Call" (short version 00:47) "Beyond The Call"Full-Length PTSD Training Documentary (17:06) First Responder PTSD (05:22) First Responders PTSD (03:20) PTSD: A Healing Story (09:52) What is PTSD? In the words of Canadian and American Veterans and First Responders (13:06) Books A Workbook For Uncertain Times - Dr. Laidlaw & Associates Clinician's Guide to PTSD: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach – Steven Taylor Full Catastrophe Living – Jon Kabbat-Zinn Mindfulness Skills Workbook for Clinicians & Clients: 111 Tools, Techniques, Activities & Worksheets – Debra E. Burdick Overcoming Trauma and PTSD: A Workbook Integrating Skills from ACT, DBT, and CBT - Sheela Raja Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD – Edna B. Foa, Elizabeth A. Hembree, Barbara Olasov Rothbaum The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma - Bessel van der Kolk The PTSD Workbook: Simple, Effective Techniques for Overcoming Traumatic Stress Symptoms – Mary Beth Williams The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook - Glenn Schiraldi When Someone You Love Suffers from Posttraumatic Stress: What to Expect and What You Can Do - Claudia Zayfert, and Jason C. DeViva Mindfulness & Meditation 60 Minutes interview with Jon Kabbat-Zinn : http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mindfulness-anderson-cooper-60-minutes/ To Pause And Protect http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treatment/overview/mindful-PTSD.asp http://www.uofmhealth.org/news/archive/201604/brain-changes-seen-veterans-ptsd-after-mindfulness-training

Kathryn Knight has a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology degree from Yorkville University and is a member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists (OACCPP) and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). She works with first Katie Chown, MACP, BSc, RP Katie Chown 905-635-7770 Katie Chown is a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario and a professional member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology with a Minor in Religious Studies from McMaster University, and a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology Degree from Yorkville University. In addition, Katie is a Certified Trauma Professional (Levels I & II). Katie brings a breadth of experience from her work in academic and healthcare settings as an educator, counsellor, and clinical technician. These roles have informed her deep appreciation for the mind-body connection and the varied pathways through which people achieve healing and personal growth. Her clinical work focuses on adults in individual and couple’s settings. Katie is committed to providing an empathetic, non-judgmental environment that supports open dialogue and genuine connection. She takes a relational, psychodynamic, and holistic approach, integrating modalities such as Attachment-Based Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Polyvagal Therapy, and Internal Family Systems. Her advanced trauma training equips her to support clients through complex life experiences with care and skill. Collaboration is central to Katie’s practice. She partners with clients to enhance self-awareness, address challenges, and foster meaningful, sustainable change offering both clinical expertise and a respectful, supportive presence throughout the therapeutic process.

Trauma Counselling We offer Individual and Group Counselling... Trauma can be defined as a psychological, emotional, and physiological response to an event or an experience that is deeply distressing or disturbing. Loosely applying this definition, trauma can refer to an upsetting life event such as divorce, being diagnosed with an illness, or losing a loved one. It also encompasses more extreme events such as sexual assault, living through a natural disaster, or surviving a hostage situation. Complex trauma may occur when a person is repeatedly exposed to a series of events which cumulate over a period of time. Examples of complex trauma include child and domestic abuse, military deployments in unsafe locales, and first responders facing disturbing and dangerous situations on a daily basis. Trauma counselling can consist of individual and/or group counselling and uses a variety of therapies including cognitive behavioural therapy, cognitive processing therapy, exposure therapy, and EMDR. See More for our Individual Counselling and Group Therapy.

The World Health Organization defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community”. Good mental health Neck-Up Check-Up The NeckUp CheckUp program is designed to provide clients from the corrections/first-responder/military community with an opportunity to maintain an awareness of their psychological well-being. The purpose is to provide individuals with one or two sessions per year of psychological counselling to be used specifically as a method to check-in and determine their current level of psychological wellness. During these sessions, individuals will be encouraged to discuss personal and/or professional issues and will be provided with self-assessment tools and action plans, which may include information concerning coping strategies, relevant literature, and/or other potential referral resources. As a first responder, you will be engaged in, or witness, incidents involving death or serious injury. In your training, you may have been prepared for seeing traumatic events but you might not have been prepared for how you will feel about them or how to process them. Therefore, it is vital that you protect your mental health. The neck-up check-up provides a baseline measure of your mental health… At some point in your life, you will experience stress and this can manifest itself in one or more of the following ways: Critical incident stress Post-traumatic stress Depression Burnout Compassion fatigue It is important to understand that anxiety disorders (including PTSD), mood disorders, everyday stress, cumulative stress, and burnout all have symptoms in common. Even more critical, you should know that all of these issues are treatable, especially if caught early. This is why routinely checking in with a mental health provider is so important.

First Responders What Is PTSD? Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can occur after you have been through a traumatic event. A traumatic event is something horrible and scary that you see or that happens to you. During this type of event, you think that your life or others’ lives are in danger. You may feel afraid or feel that you have no control over what is happening. Signs of PTSD PTSD symptoms are grouped into four clusters. You may not exhibit all the symptoms, but you do need to have some symptoms in all categories to be diagnosed with PTSD. READ MORE PTSD Testing & Treatment Dr. Laidlaw offers personality, intellectual, developmental and vocational assessments. READ MORE PTSD for First Responders Because our therapists have experience working with first responders, we understand how your needs differ from the general population. READ MORE WSIB WSIB recognizes PTSD as a workplace injury. For more information regarding the WSIB policy, visit their website . READ MORE Perceived Injustice The term “perceived injustice” was coined by a researcher who demonstrated that when a person feels they have been treated poorly, it can prolong the symptoms of PTSD, and make it harder it to return to work. READ MORE Resiliency READ MORE Resilience is the ability to cope with ongoing disruptive change and maintain good health and energy even when under constant pressure. It involves the capacity to bounce back easily from setbacks... Defining First Responders First responders are trained professionals who are the first to arrive at the scene of an emergency or crisis. They include... READ MORE

Individual therapy (sometimes called “psychotherapy” or “counselling”) is a process where clients work one-on-one with a therapist to meet their therapeutic goals. We are here to create a safe, supportive, and confidential space in which you can explore your emotions and behaviours. Individual Therapy Individual therapy (sometimes called “psychotherapy” or “counseling”) is a process where clients work one-on-one with a therapist to meet their therapeutic goals. We are here to create a safe, supportive, and confidential space in which you can explor e your emotions and behaviors. As well as, work through life challenges you may face, and help you better understand yourself. A therapeutic relationship may last for just a few sessions or as long as several years, depending on your needs and personal goals.