PTSD Treatment in Edmonton: Integrative Care for Trauma Recovery
– Integrative Care · Edmonton, AB –
Healing Begins When the Whole Person is Treated.
Trauma-informed integrative care in Edmonton – led by a team who knows what it means to run toward crisis.
Eastern and Western medicine working together: acupuncture, functional medicine, Nurse Practitioner services, massage, and mind-body therapies – in one Edmonton clinic built to support those living with PTSD. No referral required. No waitlist.
Program at a glance
Understanding PTSD
What PTSD does to the nervous system
PTSD is not simply an anxiety disorder. It is a fundamental disruption of the brain and body’s threat-response system. When a traumatic experience overwhelms the nervous system’s capacity to process, the amygdala becomes hyperactivated, locking the body into a chronic state of alert even when no danger is present.
This drives dysregulation of the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis: disrupting cortisol rhythms, inflammatory response, sleep architecture, and gut function. Symptoms including flashbacks, hypervigilance, emotional numbing, and physical pain are downstream effects of this systemic dysregulation.
PTSD frequently co-occurs with depression, substance use, and chronic pain: making an integrative, whole-person care team essential for lasting recovery rather than symptom management alone.
For additional information on PTSD in Canada, see the PTSD Association of Canada.
Why integrative care works when standard treatment falls short
The body holds trauma (not just the mind)
Talk therapy alone addresses cognitive processing but does not directly regulate the nervous system or resolve the somatic (body-level) effects of trauma. Physical modalities (acupuncture, massage, craniosacral therapy) work directly on the body’s stress-response mechanisms.
Root causes, not symptom suppression
Functional medicine investigates what’s driving the inflammation, hormonal dysregulation, and nutritional deficiencies that sustain PTSD symptoms. Treating these root causes creates a physiological environment that supports healing.
Coordinated, not siloed
Your acupuncturist, Nurse Practitioner, and naturopathic doctor communicate with each other. Your care evolves as a coordinated plan: not a collection of disconnected appointments.
Complementary to psychological therapy
Integrative care does not replace psychotherapy: it creates the physiological conditions in which psychological work becomes more effective. Many patients find body-based approaches allow them to engage more fully in trauma-focused therapy.
The PTSD cycle: where integrative care intervenes
PTSD is not a single event. It is a self-reinforcing cycle. Understanding where it breaks down helps explain why a multi-modal approach produces better outcomes than any single treatment.
How Red Leaf Wellness intervenes at every stage
Functional Medicine: cortisol, inflammation & root-cause testing
Massage & Osteopathy: somatic trauma release & vagal tone restoration
Nutrition: gut-brain axis support & neurotransmitter balance
Mind-Body Therapies: nervous system regulation & somatic trauma integration
Integrative treatments for PTSD recovery in Edmonton
Every modality below plays a distinct role in PTSD recovery. Our practitioners coordinate across disciplines so your treatment evolves as a unified plan, not a series of isolated appointments.
Clinical spotlight
The NADA Protocol: Acupuncture Designed for Trauma
The NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) protocol is a standardized five-point auricular (ear) acupuncture technique developed for use in trauma, addiction, and disaster response settings. It targets five specific points: Sympathetic, Shen Men, Kidney, Liver, and Lung – to calm the autonomic nervous system and interrupt the body’s chronic stress response.
Multiple clinical studies, including research reviewed in the Journal of Traumatic Stress, have demonstrated meaningful reductions in PTSD symptom severity, anxiety, insomnia, and hyperarousal. The protocol has been used extensively with military veterans and first responders. Our acupuncturists are trained in NADA administration and integrate it into individualized PTSD treatment plans.
Our first responder team
Understanding Trauma From the Inside
Many of our practitioners have worked as paramedics and nurses on the front lines of emergency medicine. They have run toward the same crises that bring patients through our doors: accidents, violence, sudden loss, mass casualty events. They bring direct, lived experience with occupational trauma into every treatment plan.
This is something you will not find at a typical wellness clinic. When you describe the hypervigilance, the intrusive memories, the inability to switch off after a shift: you are talking to someone who understands from the inside, not just the textbook.
That shared experience changes the therapeutic relationship. It removes the need to explain why PTSD looks the way it does in high-functioning, high-performing people. And it means our treatment approach is calibrated for the specific physiological and psychological profile of occupational trauma: not a generic wellness protocol.
Why Red Leaf Wellness for PTSD
Practitioners who understand occupational trauma
Paramedics and nurses on our team mean you don’t spend your appointment explaining what PTSD looks like in first responders, veterans, or healthcare workers.
Four modalities, one coordinated plan
Acupuncture, functional medicine, massage, and nutritional support working together: not in silos. Your providers coordinate from the start so each session builds on the last.
No referral, no waitlist
Book directly through JaneApp. If you have an existing GP, psychiatrist, or therapist, we will coordinate and report back: keeping you in control of your care.
Complementary to psychological therapy
We do not replace your psychologist or psychiatrist: we create the physiological conditions that make their work more effective. Many patients report being better able to engage in trauma-focused therapy once body-level dysregulation is addressed.
In-clinic and virtual
Edmonton clinic for hands-on treatment. Virtual appointments available across Canada for functional medicine, nutrition, and NP consultations: see our team page for provincial licensing.
Who comes to us for PTSD treatment
PTSD presents differently depending on its origin and duration. Our approach is adapted to your specific experience, not a generic trauma protocol.
First Responders & Veterans
Paramedics, police officers, firefighters, military personnel, and ER nurses experiencing occupational PTSD from cumulative or acute traumatic exposures. Our practitioners have worked in these environments.
Childhood & Relational Trauma
Adults navigating complex PTSD from childhood experiences, abusive relationships, or prolonged relational trauma. Somatic and integrative approaches can be especially effective where verbal therapy has reached its limits.
Accident & Injury Survivors
Individuals experiencing PTSD following serious accidents, medical trauma, assault, or sudden loss. Often accompanied by chronic pain (which acupuncture, massage, and functional medicine address simultaneously).
Vicarious & Occupational Trauma
Healthcare workers, social workers, journalists, and others with secondary traumatic stress from sustained exposure to others’ suffering. Often unrecognized and undertreated: our team is equipped to work with this presentation.
Why specialized PTSD care matters
“PTSD is one of the most pervasive and debilitating of the anxiety disorders, yet it remains significantly undertreated, particularly among first responders, where stigma and access barriers compound an already high-prevalence occupational exposure.”
First responder statistics from the Mental Health Commission of Canada. General PTSD prevalence from the PTSD Association of Canada. Red Leaf Wellness is committed to evidence-informed, trauma-focused integrative care.
Practical tips for managing PTSD day-to-day
These strategies work alongside professional care (not instead of it). For personalized support, book a free clinician chat or call Alberta Health Services HealthLink 811 if you are in acute distress.
Ground yourself in the present
When triggered, use the 5-4-3-2-1 technique: identify 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste. This activates the prefrontal cortex and interrupts the amygdala’s threat response. Practice it when calm so it is accessible when you are not.
Regulate through breathing
Slow, diaphragmatic breathing directly activates the vagus nerve and shifts the nervous system from sympathetic (fight-or-flight) to parasympathetic (rest). Try box breathing: inhale 4 counts, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4. Even three cycles can meaningfully reduce hyperarousal. Consistent practice creates lasting neurological change.
Map your triggers
Keeping a brief daily log of when symptoms flare and what preceded them builds pattern recognition that takes the element of surprise out of triggering. Over time, this reduces the sense of being at the mercy of your own nervous system and gives your care team specific data to work with in treatment planning.
Protect your sleep architecture
PTSD severely disrupts sleep, and sleep disruption worsens every PTSD symptom. A consistent sleep-wake schedule (even on difficult nights) helps recalibrate circadian cortisol rhythms. Avoiding screens and alcohol in the two hours before bed removes two of the most common sleep architecture disruptors. Discuss sleep support options with your functional medicine practitioner.
Edmonton trauma care network
Edmonton trauma resources we trust and refer to
Red Leaf Wellness is one part of Edmonton’s trauma care network. The organizations below provide services and supports outside our clinical scope: we respect each of them and refer patients accordingly.
Common questions about PTSD treatment in Edmonton
Ready to take the next step?
PTSD care in Edmonton – on your terms
Book directly: no referral, no waitlist. Or start with a free clinician chat to find out which services are the right fit for you.
Phone: (780) 633-7538 | info@redleafwellness.ca
Our Experienced Practitioners:
Dr.Ac Lalonde 🇬🇧
“As a clinician and leader, I see myself not only as a caregiver but also as a teacher—empowering patients with the knowledge and tools they need to take charge of their health. By educating and guiding them, I can help transform their lives far beyond the treatment room, creating lasting wellness that they can carry with them. – Dr. Tammy Lalonde”
Caring for people is my true passion and one of life’s greatest callings. With years of experience as both a Paramedic and Acupuncturist, I’ve supported patients through obvious and invisible injuries alike. I’ve been there during moments of deep crisis – delivering babies in cars parked roadside, providing care at 30,000 feet, or flying emergency medevacs over the Arabian desert. Through these experiences, I’ve learned not just how to care for people in urgent need but how lasting health is built over time through lifestyle, nutrition, and proactive care.
Over the years, my focus has shifted toward prevention – helping people earlier, before minor concerns turn into complex conditions. A big part of that work is my role in leading our Hormone Health program, where we help patients address hormonal imbalances that impact energy, mood, sleep, and overall quality of life.
To better support our patients and lead in this evolving area of care, I’ve earned certification as a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP) – a designation held by only a select number of clinicians across Canada. This credential reflects a high level of expertise in evidence-based menopause and hormone health management. Combined with advanced training in Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) through Worldlink Medical, this dual focus allows me to guide our Hormone Health program with clinical depth, strategic vision, and a commitment to whole-person care.
My academic journey has allowed me to bridge Eastern and Western medicine into a truly holistic care model. I have a particular passion for working with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, and PTSD, including those in the Armed Forces and Emergency Services. With a career spanning North America and the Middle East, I’ve served as a clinician, educator, and emergency medical dispatcher.
I hold active licensure and registration with the College of Acupuncturists of Alberta (CAA), the California Acupuncture Board, the Alberta Herbalists Association (AHA), and the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). I’ve also served as a Board Director with the Alberta Pain Society and currently sit on the CAA Competence Committee.
Education:
- Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM), American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Master of Science (MS) – Traditional Chinese Medicine, American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Master of Science (MS) – Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, cum laude, South Baylo University
- Bachelor of Science (BS) – Holistic Science, South Baylo University
- Diploma – Emergency Medical Technician (Paramedic), Augustana University
- Advanced Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) Certified – Worldlink Medical
Licensure
- RAc – Registered Acupuncturist of the College of Acupuncturists of Alberta (CAA)
- RH – Registered Herbalist of the Alberta Herbalists Association (AHA)
- LAc – Licensed Acupuncturist of the California Acupuncture Board
- Dipl.Ac – Diplomate of Acupuncture of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)
- MSCP – Menopause Society Certified Practitioner
Dr.Ac Lalonde 🇬🇧
CEO, Acupuncture, Herbalism
“As a clinician and leader, I see myself not only...
Dr.Ac Winton 🇬🇧
Helping people comes naturally to Michelle! As a highly skilled Acupuncturist, Massage Therapist, and Advanced Care Paramedic she is widely recognized for developing unique care plans which draw on her knowledge and therapeutic touch gained across each of these specialized disciplines. Having over twenty years of combined expertise in caring for her patients, Michelle has had a front row seat to observe how stress and emotion affect the mind and body. Complementing her acupuncture services at Red Leaf Wellness, Michelle offers a variety of therapeutic and relaxation massage therapies, including pregnancy massage, myofascial release and myofascial cupping.
Michelle began her health career as a massage therapist, graduating the 2200hr Massage Program at Macewan University in 2001. Being active in competitive sport in her youth, Michelle understood the benefits of massage on sport performance, recovery and injury prevention. She subsequently branched into emergency care and became an Advanced Care Paramedic where she was able to offer a calming presence in stressful, emergent situations. Michelle has always believed that soft skills, an extra moment spent with family, or a hand to hold on the way to the hospital, can be as healing as the specific medical interventions themselves. Working as a Paramedic Michelle saw, and began to question, how it is that people differ in disease and the aging process and why the same drug benefited one person, but not the other. Her lifelong learning journey had her begin to look for these answers in the time-tested practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Acupuncture, thus kicking off another quest for knowledge at MacEwan University’s Acupuncture Program.
Michelle provides care at Red Leaf Wellness as an independent contractor.
Education:
- Diploma – Acupuncture, Macewan University
- Diploma – Emergency Medical Technician (Paramedic), Augustana University
- Honors standings
- Certificate – Massage Therapy Grant MacEwan College
Licensure:
- RAc, College of Acupuncturists of Alberta (CAA)
- RMT, National Health Practitioners of Canada (NHPC)
- ACP, Alberta College of Paramedics
Dr.Ac Winton 🇬🇧
Acupuncture, Massage
Helping people comes naturally to Michelle! As a highly skilled...
Dr.Ac Masuda 🇬🇧 🇯🇵
Dr. Yoko Masuda is a master practitioner – skilled in the rare craft of Japanese style acupuncture – where she incorporates and tailors gentle needling, moxibustion (specific deep heat), therme (heat massage) and cupping into her acupuncture treatment plans. These skills, as well as her reputation for delivering tangible results, make her a sought-after provider, especially in the areas of pain management, sports injuries, orthopaedic injuries and emotional health. Yoko firmly believes that the mind and the body are intertwined in healing and she continually advocates for a healthy lifestyle alongside of the care she provides.
Yoko received her acupuncture degree in Japan and, after working at several clinics in Tokyo, she accepted a staff acupuncturist position with the world renowned Cirque du Soleil touring show. For nearly twenty years, she went on to travel the far reaches of the globe, working on several other productions, and earning the respect of an international group of artists, staff and athletes before eventually selecting Edmonton for her permanent clinical practice. As a former high school physical education teacher, and also as an alumnus of the Japanese national rhythmic gymnastics team (where she competed internationally on numerous occasions), she has amassed an impressive background in sports therapy and physical education, uniquely positioning her to address all manner of orthopedic and performance related concerns.
Outside of work, Yoko enjoys travelling, the outdoors, and spending time with her husband and two elementary-aged daughters.
Yoko provides care at Red Leaf Wellness as an independent contractor.
Education:
- Diploma of Acupuncture, Hanada College, Tokyo, Japan
Licensure:
- RAc, College and Association of Acupuncturists of Alberta (CAA)
Fluency: 🇬🇧 – English | 🇯🇵 – Japanese
Dr.Ac Masuda 🇬🇧 🇯🇵
Acupuncture
Dr. Yoko Masuda is a master practitioner – skilled in...
Cora Rennie 🇬🇧
Cora Rennie is a Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist who helps people feel safer, more regulated, and more present in their bodies. She brings more than two decades of personal experience with this gentle healing work into every session. What clients notice most is the sense of calm, clarity, and renewed ease that continues well after they leave the table.
Cora’s journey with craniosacral therapy began over twenty years ago when a single practice session left her body deeply relaxed in a way she had never before experienced. That moment opened her eyes to how profoundly the nervous system responds to safe, informed touch. It also became personal when she saw dramatic improvement in her mother’s migraines and vertigo after just a few sessions with a practitioner.
After completing a rigorous two-year Biodynamic CranioSacral Therapy (BCST) training, Cora has developed a deep understanding of how the body’s own innate healing intelligence can be supported. She holds certification and registration with the Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy Association of North America, and her work is grounded in respect for the body’s natural rhythms and its drive toward health.
Clients come to Cora for many reasons, from ongoing stress and overwhelm to persistent tension patterns, sleep disruption, and emotional holding. Many people report:
- A sense of nervous system calm and safety
- Better sleep and less reactivity to stress
- A feeling of being more settled in their body
- Enhanced capacity to engage with life rather than just survive it
- Support through major life transitions like perimenopause and menopause
Because BCST works with the nervous system itself, clients often find that their whole system begins to feel more coherent and resilient. This can lead to better outcomes with other forms of care too, as the body becomes more able to integrate changes and treatments.
Cora believes that every symptom is part of the body’s effort to protect and to adapt. Her role is not to “fix” you but to offer a supportive environment where your system can experience safety, resource, and deeper regulation. She feels honored to witness the shifts that happen when a body is finally allowed to come into balance.
Her approach is warm, perceptive, and grounded in connection, inviting you to be an active participant in your own healing. Whether you are navigating stress, transitioning through hormone changes, or seeking a more integrated sense of well-being, Cora’s work offers a space to be met, supported, and held with care.
Cora provides care at Red Leaf Wellness as an independent contractor.
Cora Rennie 🇬🇧
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist
Cora Rennie is a Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist who helps people...
