Local Therapist Shares 5 Signs of Unresolved Trauma in Women – and How a New Group Program Can Help

BELLEVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA, October 8, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Belleville, Ontario. Many women live with the long-term effects of trauma without ever naming it. They may function well on the outside—holding down jobs, caring for families, showing up for others—while quietly struggling with sleep, relationships, self-worth, or a persistent sense of being "off." For these women, the question is often not whether something happened, but whether it is still affecting them today.

According to Lethicia Foadjo, MSW, RSW, founder and trauma therapist at LK Psychotherapy & Clinical Services, the answer is often yes, and recognizing the signs is the first step toward healing.

"Trauma doesn't always look like what people expect," says Foadjo. "It often shows up quietly; in how you sleep, how you relate to others, or how you talk to yourself. Many women have normalized these patterns for so long that they don't realize they're connected to something deeper."

5 Signs of Unresolved Trauma in Women
Foadjo shares five common signs that unresolved trauma may still be affecting a woman's daily life:
1. You feel constantly on edge, even when nothing is wrong.
A nervous system stuck in survival mode can make it hard to relax, focus, or feel safe. This can show up as irritability, difficulty sleeping, or feeling jumpy or easily startled.
2. You struggle with boundaries or people-pleasing.
Women who have experienced trauma often learn to prioritize others' needs to stay safe or avoid conflict. Over time, this can lead to exhaustion, resentment, or difficulty saying no.
3. You avoid certain people, places, or conversations.
Avoidance is one of the most common trauma responses. It might look like skipping social events, avoiding intimacy, or steering clear of anything that brings up difficult memories.
4. You are hard on yourself, often without realizing it.
Trauma can reshape how women see themselves. Feelings of shame, self-blame, or not being "enough" are common, even when there is no logical reason for them.
5. You feel disconnected from your body or emotions.
Numbing, dissociation, or feeling "checked out" are ways the brain protects itself from overwhelming pain. But they can also make it hard to feel present, connected, or fully alive.

"If any of these feel familiar, it doesn't mean something is wrong with you," says Foadjo. "It means your nervous system learned to protect you. The work of healing is about helping it learn that it's safe to let go."

A Free Self-Check for Women Weighing Their Next Step
For women who recognize themselves in these signs but are not sure whether it is time to seek support, LK Psychotherapy has introduced a free, private Women's Trauma Self-Check.
The tool asks six short questions about present-day impact rather than the trauma itself. It never asks a woman to describe what happened to her. In under two minutes, she receives a private, personalized reflection along with information about the Women's Trauma Recovery Group and how to reach the office. The self-check also includes a built-in safety feature: if a woman indicates she does not currently feel physically safe, she is immediately shown crisis and safety resources, including the Assaulted Women's Helpline, ahead of anything else on the page.
The self-check is free, anonymous unless a woman chooses to share her contact information, and entirely optional. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace a clinical assessment.

Take the self-check: https://lkpsychotherapy.ca/womens-trauma-self-assessment/

About the Women's Trauma Recovery Group
LK Psychotherapy & Clinical Services is now enrolling participants for its Women's Trauma Recovery Group, a six-week program designed to support women survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, harassment, and other forms of trauma. The group is part of the clinic's Healing Together Series, a set of trauma-informed group therapy programs led by Foadjo.

The program runs for six weeks in weekly 90-minute sessions, capped at six participants to keep the space small and personal. Each week builds on the last:
- Understanding Trauma and the Nervous System
- Grounding and Emotional Regulation
- Self-Compassion and Trauma Responses
- Safe Story Sharing and Validation
- Relationships, Boundaries, and Relational Repair
- Reconnection, Empowerment, and Moving Forward

Sessions cost $90 each, and direct billing is available. Every participant receives a free workbook and supply bag to support the work between sessions. Specific dates, times, and location are confirmed directly with the intake team at registration.

"The group is designed for women who are ready to stop carrying this alone," says Foadjo. "You are not alone. You are not broken. You are healing."

Building Community Capacity Through Psychological First Aid
Alongside its client-facing groups, LK Psychotherapy also offers crisis intervention and psychological first aid training for organizations, including critical incident debriefs and support through the Victims Services Quick Response Program. These offerings extend the clinic's trauma-informed approach beyond individual therapy and into workplaces and community settings that want to build their own capacity to respond to crises.

Registration
Space in the Women's Trauma Recovery Group is limited. Interested participants can take the free self-check, register directly online, or contact the LK Psychotherapy office for details on the current schedule.

Self-Check: https://lkpsychotherapy.ca/womens-trauma-self-assessment/
Register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepGv3VztBRlZShurGQZKzLWrq3YdSR5ERITj9za2hrL-vBkA/viewform
Questions: https://lkpsychotherapy.ca/contact/
Phone: (613) 813-9529

About LK Psychotherapy & Clinical Services
LK Psychotherapy & Clinical Services is located at 48 Dundas St West, Belleville, Ontario. Founded by Lethicia Foadjo, the clinic offers individual therapy, couples and family therapy, group therapy, and specialized programs for first responders, military members, and Indigenous communities, alongside training and consulting services for organizations.

Media Contact
LK Psychotherapy & Clinical Services
48 Dundas St West, Belleville, Ontario
(613) 813-9529
https://lkpsychotherapy.ca

Lethicia Foadjo, MSW, RSW
LK Psychotherapy & Clinical Services
+1 613) 813-9529
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