EMDR · ART · 3MDR
For kids, teens and adults · In-person and virtual · No referral needed
Trauma does not always end when the event does. It can continue to affect how you think, feel, behave, and respond, through nightmares, intrusive memories, avoidance, emotional numbness, difficulty feeling safe, or reactions that feel stronger than the situation warrants.
Whether your experience was a single event or something that built up over years, trauma therapy can help your mind and body recognize that the danger has passed. At Stillwater Therapy, our therapists offer three specialized trauma therapies, EMDR, ART and 3MDR, along with the broader clinical approaches our team uses, in person and virtually across Fort McMurray and the Wood Buffalo region.
We provide trauma therapy to children, teens and adults working through:
Motor vehicle, workplace, industrial, or other serious accidents
The 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire, evacuation, displacement, loss, and the prolonged stress of rebuilding
Sudden, traumatic, or unexpected loss and bereavement
Physical, emotional, or sexual violence, abuse, or assault
Childhood adversity, neglect, attachment disruptions, or experiences that continue to affect you into adulthood
Medical trauma, including serious illness, hospitalization, procedures, chronic health experiences, or frightening medical events
Pregnancy, birth, or reproductive trauma, including difficult or traumatic births
First responder and occupational trauma, including repeated exposure to accidents, violence, death, emergencies, or other distressing events
Cumulative or repeated exposure to trauma, including experiences that build over time rather than resulting from one single event
Trauma related to relationships, including coercive or controlling relationships, domestic violence, betrayal, or significant interpersonal harm
Other experiences that have left you feeling unsafe, overwhelmed, powerless, or unable to move forward
You do not need a formal PTSD diagnosis to begin trauma therapy. If something still affects how you sleep, work, or relate to the people around you, that is reason enough to reach out.
For younger children, we adapt therapy to their age and stage. See our Child & Teen Therapy page »
You do not need a formal PTSD diagnosis to begin trauma therapy. If something still affects how you sleep, work, or relate to the people around you, that is reason enough to reach out.
For younger children, we adapt therapy to their age and stage. See our Child & Teen Therapy page »
Trauma does not always look like flashbacks or nightmares. Sometimes its effects are more subtle and may show up in your emotions, body, relationships, behaviour, or sense of safety. You may notice:
Intrusive symptoms
Avoidance
Emotional and cognitive changes
Hyperarousal and nervous-system activation
Dissociation
Physical and somatic symptoms
Relationships and behaviour
Changes in your sense of safety
You do not have to experience every symptom, and trauma-related difficulties do not always look the same from person to person.
If these experiences are persistent, cause significant distress, or interfere with relationships, work, sleep, or daily functioning, a mental health professional can help determine whether they may be related to trauma or another underlying concern.
Trauma responses are not a weakness or character flaw. They can represent adaptations to experiences that overwhelmed your sense of safety, control, or capacity to cope. With appropriate support, these patterns can change.
EMDR is one of the most widely used and well-researched trauma therapies in the world. It uses guided eye movements while you bring a difficult memory to mind, helping your brain process the experience so it can be stored as something that happened in the past rather than something your body keeps reliving.
EMDR follows a structured, phased protocol. Your therapist will spend time preparing you and building coping skills before working directly with the memory, so you are never pushed further than you are ready to go.
EMDR at Stillwater is provided by Holly, Jane and Amy.
ART also uses guided eye movements, but follows a different, more tightly structured protocol than EMDR. Rather than talking through a memory in detail, ART works with the images and physical sensations attached to it to reduce how intense the memory feels.
Two things draw people to ART. First, it doesn’t require describing every detail out loud, so you stay in control of what you share. Second, it is designed to be brief. Many people complete ART in fewer sessions than traditional talk therapy, though this varies from person to person, and your therapist will discuss what to expect in your situation.
Andrea and Rebecca are advanced-trained Master ART practitioners. Sara S, Sara M, Amy and Holly are ART-trained. Few clinics in Fort McMurray offer ART at all, and fewer still have practitioners at the Master level.
Learn more about ART »
3MDR (Multi-modal Motion-assisted Memory Desensitization and Reconsolidation) is a newer trauma therapy that builds on EMDR by adding movement and visual immersion. It was originally developed for treatment-resistant PTSD, particularly among military personnel and veterans, and is now being used more broadly.
Amy provides 3MDR at Stillwater. It is a recent addition to our services and is not widely available in Alberta.
ART suits many people, but not everyone, and it is not the only option. Our therapists also draw on other trauma approaches used by the team — e.g. cognitive behavioural therapy for trauma, EMDR, somatic and mindfulness-based approaches- chosen to fit your history, comfort level and goals.
Therapy moves at your pace. Your therapist will explain the approach before you begin, and nothing happens without your agreement.
EMDR, ART and 3MDR are specialized trauma therapies, but they are not the whole picture. All of our therapists also work with established clinical approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy, which can be applied to trauma alongside or instead of the therapies above.
Your therapist will talk with you about which approach fits your history, comfort level, and goals. Therapy moves at your pace, and nothing happens without your agreement.
We’ll review consent and confidentiality, then talk about what is bringing you in and what you would like to be different. You decide how much detail to go into. You do not need to tell your whole story in the first hour, or ever.
Your therapist will discuss which approaches may suit you, how often to meet and what progress might look like. Many people begin weekly or every two weeks and space sessions out as things improve.
Trauma therapy works best when you feel safe and in control. You can slow down, pause or change direction at any point.
Our therapists live and work in this community. They understand the realities of shift work and rotations, of being hours from extended family, and of a region that lived through the 2016 wildfire together.
Appointments are available seven days a week, between 8 AM and 8 PM, depending on each therapist’s schedule. Sessions are offered in person at our Fort McMurray office or virtually, so you can keep therapy going through a rotation or from out of town.
Stillwater Therapy
#306, 108 Riverstone Ridge
Fort McMurray, AB T9K 1S6
We are on the third floor, above Gym Nation. Free underground parking is available, and an elevator takes you right to our floor
Many extended health benefit plans cover counselling and psychological services. We bill your insurance directly when your plan allows.
Coverage depends on your plan and your therapist’s credentials, so check your benefits before your first appointment.
If cost is a barrier, our group therapy sessions are a lower-cost option that many people find valuable alongside or instead of one-on-one work.
No referral is needed. Book online to see current availability and choose a therapist, or call us
and we will help match you with someone trained in the approach that suits you.
If you’re in crisis, please do not wait for an appointment. Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department.
You can also call or text 9-8-8, the Suicide Crisis Helpline, or call the Alberta
Mental Health Help Line at 1-877-303-2642 or 8-1-1; both are available 24/7.
Yes. We work with children, teens and adults, with an approach adapted to the client’s age and stage.
All three use guided eye movements and all are used for trauma. EMDR is the most widely known and has the largest research base. ART follows a tighter protocol and is designed to be brief. 3MDR adds movement and visual immersion and was developed for treatment-resistant PTSD. You don’t need to decide in advance. Your therapist will help you choose.
No. Therapy moves at your pace, and ART in particular doesn’t require you to describe the memory out loud. You control what you share.
Yes. Many people seek help years or even decades later and still experience meaningful relief.
No. You don’t need a diagnosis or a referral.
Many extended health plans cover counselling and psychological services, and we bill directly when your plan allows. Check your plan’s coverage before booking.
