I've been in
the thick of it

Seventeen years as a firefighter, including on one of the busiest trucks in Canada, downtown Toronto. A lot of training in trauma and nervous systems. And enough street credibility to know what you're really dealing with.

Why I do this

I got on the job seventeen years ago thinking I'd seen hard things. I hadn't.

Over the years, I've been first on scene at situations I can't describe. I've worked with some of the best firefighters in the country. And I've watched a lot of them slowly break under the weight of it all. Not because they're weak. Because nobody gave them the tools to handle what their bodies do after the calls that stay with you.

I've also done a lot of work outside firefighting. I was a teacher for ten years, working with refugees and newcomers, people living with real trauma trying to function in an academic setting. I spent years in foster parenting, learning how trauma reshapes a nervous system from childhood on. I did certification work in trauma-informed approaches, both for parenting and therapeutic settings.

All of that pointed to the same thing: most people don't understand what's actually happening in their bodies. And nobody is teaching first responders how to manage it before they break.

So I'm doing that now. And I'm currently completing a Master's degree so I can eventually offer therapy directly. For now, I coach, and I refer to trauma-informed therapists when that's what someone needs.

I've lived this

I'm not a therapist explaining concepts from textbooks. I'm a firefighter who's seen what chronic stress does to your nervous system over time. Who's watched good people deteriorate because they had no framework for what was happening to them.

I've done training in trauma-informed approaches, polyvagal theory, and nervous system regulation. I understand the neurobiology. But I also understand the job. The calls. The downtime between the chaos. The way it follows you home. The pressure to be fine.

I get the culture. I know that admitting something's wrong feels like admitting weakness. Which is why this isn't about admitting anything. It's about building skills.

And I'm not going anywhere. I'm not one of your chiefs or someone looking to change the system. I'm just someone who knows the world and wants to help people stay okay in it.

My job is to take the neuroscience geek talk, translate it into plain language, and help you actually use it. No jargon. No textbook explanations. Just real tools that work in the real world you're living in.

"This isn't about fixing you. You're not broken. It's about giving you tools nobody bothered to teach you."

Training & credentials

Traumatic Stress Studies Certificate

Trauma Research Foundation

Advanced Certificate in Child and Youth Mental Health Treatment

Institute of Child Psychology

Honours BA + Peace & Conflict Studies Certificate

University of Waterloo

Master's Program (in progress)

Pursuing licensure for direct therapy

Completely
confidential

I know you need to know this conversation is completely confidential. That nobody at your station needs to know you're doing this. That there's no paperwork trailing you, no risk to your career.

All of that is true. Sessions are one-on-one and confidential. What you share doesn't get reported to your department, your employer, or anyone else.

This is your space to be completely yourself. No filter. No performance. Just you and real solutions.

One-on-one sessions 100% confidential Flexible scheduling In-person or online First responder focused

Let's talk

Questions? Want to know if this is right for you? Reach out. No obligation, no pressure.

Get in Touch

Or email directly: daradouma@hotmail.com