Complex PTSD Therapy
Therapy for Complex PTSD (C‑PTSD)
You may feel like you’re carrying the weight of things you cannot always name, a persistent feeling that you’re on edge, disconnected, or simply exhausted from trying to manage the aftermath of long‑term trauma. Maybe your emotions flare, then shut down. Relationships may feel unsafe or confusing. You might ask: Why can’t I just move on? You’re not broken, you’re responding to what you’ve lived through.
At Sereda Psychotherapy Group, we offer online trauma‑informed counselling across Canada for people navigating Complex Post‑Traumatic Stress Disorder (C‑PTSD) or the effects of repeated trauma. Our therapists have clinical expertise in supporting individuals whose trauma history spans years, complicated relationships and long term emotional impact. We’re here to help you reclaim safety, identity, connection and hope.
What is Complex PTSD?
It can be helpful to understand and recognize the symptoms of these experiences, especially if they resonate with what you’re going through. That being said, we ask that you please avoid self-diagnosing since only a qualified mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or a registered psychologist, can provide a formal diagnosis.
Complex PTSD Symptoms
(according to the ICD-11)
- Re-experiencing the Trauma: Intrusive memories, flashbacks, and nightmares about the traumatic events.
- Avoidance: Avoiding reminders of the trauma, including thoughts, feelings, people, places, and activities associated with the trauma.
- Negative Cognitions and Mood: Persistent negative beliefs about oneself, others, or the world; feelings of detachment from others; and inability to experience positive emotions.
- Affective Dysregulation: Difficulty regulating emotions, frequent mood swings, and an overall sense of emotional instability.
- Disturbances in Relationships: Difficulty maintaining close relationships, feelings of isolation, and persistent distrust of others.
- Negative Self-Concept: Deep feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt, and self-blame related to the trauma.
- Hyperarousal: Increased irritability, difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, and sleep disturbances.
- Dissociation: Feelings of detachment from oneself or reality, experiencing the world as unreal, or having an altered sense of time.
- Somatic Symptoms: Physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches, and muscle tension related to stress and trauma.
Why Therapy for Complex PTSD Matters
Living with C‑PTSD means that your trauma has shaped how you feel, how you connect, and how safe you feel in your own body. Without support, you might find yourself:
- Stuck in emotional patterns that feel overwhelming
- Avoiding triggers or numbing out to survive
- Losing trust in others, or in yourself
- Struggling to feel grounded, safe or like you belong
- Feeling shame that you’re still “reacting” to triggers
Therapy offers more than relief from symptoms, it gives you:
- A safe relationship where your experience can be witnessed and honored
- Tools to regulate your nervous system and emotions
- Space to rebuild a sense of self that includes you, not just your trauma history
- Help navigating relationships, connection, and autonomy
Start Your C‑PTSD Therapy Journey
C‑PTSD and BPD: Overlapping Symptoms
It’s not uncommon for individuals exploring support for C‑PTSD to wonder about the overlap between Complex PTSD and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Both can stem from early or prolonged trauma and share symptoms such as emotional dysregulation, relationship difficulties, fear of abandonment, and identity challenges.
At Sereda Psychotherapy Group, we take a compassionate, individualized approach. Rather than focusing on diagnoses or labels, we look at your lived experience and unique presenting symptoms/challenges. Our therapists recognize that trauma affects everyone differently, and that sometimes C‑PTSD, BPD, and other trauma-related experiences can look similar. We’ll work with you to help you build a sense of safety, self-understanding, and emotional stability, at your pace.
Our Approach: Compassionate, Evidence‑Based & Tailored
Our therapists work with you at a pace that feels safe and manageable, honouring both the depth of your experiences and your current capacity. Our trauma therapists have a special clinical focus in trauma and Complex PTSD (C‑PTSD), meaning they understand not only what you’re feeling, but the deeper reasons behind those reactions, the nervous system patterns, emotional responses, and coping strategies that developed as a way to survive.
We combine proven modalities such as:
- Trauma‑Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- Trauma-Informed Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Polyvagal-Informed Therapy
- Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Practices
- Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT)
Together, we’ll build a therapeutic pathway that respects your history, your resilience, and your goals.
What to Expect in Therapy With Us
When you reach out to Sereda Psychotherapy, you’ll get matched with a therapist who has a clinical focus in trauma and C‑PTSD. In your sessions you’ll work on:
- Exploring your trauma history at a pace you control, if you feel ready for this
- Learning ways to sense and regulate your nervous system
- Understanding how your trauma has shaped your identity and relationships
- Developing a sense of self that is separate from what happened to you
- Reconnecting to relationships, work or life in ways that feel safe and meaningful
Our goal is to create a safe space where you feel deeply understood, and where healing becomes possible, even when things have felt stuck for a long time.
Do I need a diagnosis of C‑PTSD to start therapy?
No. Many people begin therapy based on their experience, not a formal label. Your therapist can support you exploring symptoms, patterns, and goals without a diagnosis being a requirement.
What is the most common treatment for C‑PTSD?
The most common treatment for Complex PTSD (C‑PTSD) is trauma‑focused psychotherapy, often using approaches like trauma‑informed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), trauma-informed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and many others. These methods are designed to safely process traumatic memories, regulate emotional responses, and help individuals build internal safety and trust.
What helps people in therapy with C‑PTSD?
What helps most is working with a therapist who understands the nuanced impacts of prolonged trauma. A trusting therapeutic relationship and a pace that respects where the person is at is key.
What kind of therapy is best for C‑PTSD?
There’s no one‑size‑fits‑all answer, but therapy modalities that focus on relational healing, nervous system regulation, and trauma processing are often the most effective. The best approach depends on your needs, experiences, and capacity, and your therapist can help guide you in finding the right fit.
Is online therapy effective for C‑PTSD?
Yes. Research supports that virtual therapy is as effective as in‑person therapy when using trauma‑informed approaches and a secure therapeutic relationship.
What’s the difference between PTSD and C‑PTSD?
While PTSD often follows a single traumatic event, C‑PTSD results from repeated or prolonged trauma and includes additional symptoms such as emotion‑regulation difficulties, identity disruptions and relational problems.
How long will therapy take?
There is no fixed timeline. Some people begin to feel relief within a few months; others may work on deeper trauma resolution for longer. We tailor the pace to your needs and goals.