Catherine Sullivan Counselling Services

04/22/2026

04/21/2026

One of the biggest barriers to seeking trauma therapy isn’t denial — it’s comparison.

“I know other people have had it worse.”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
“I shouldn’t still be upset about this.”

If you’ve ever had these thoughts, you’re not alone. But let’s be clear: there is no such thing as trauma that is “too small” or “too minor” to require treatment.

Many people compare their experiences to others — a friend who survived a serious accident, a family member who experienced abuse, or stories shared on social media.

When you do this, it can leave you feeling like your pain isn’t “big enough” to matter.

But here’s the truth:
Comparison doesn’t calm your nervous system — it adds shame on top of distress.

04/20/2026

I had a client who used to come into sessions with a list of things on what she called her “Catherine List”.
In between sessions she made a list of things she wanted to talk to me about and jokingly called it the “Catherine List”. Even her friends knew about it and told her to put things she brought up to them on the list.
I loved this because it meant the client was engaged in our sessions and also that she was thinking about things between sessions. Making a list of things to talk to your therapist about is helpful especially if you have a tendency to forget things because of neurodivergence or because you’re in survival mode.

04/16/2026

My reflection of my first EMDR intensive
Both the client and I enjoyed it
It allowed processing of one memory and a feeder memory. We then went back to the original memory.
I'm still debating about whether or not to include this in my practice on a regular basis.
Would love to hear from other EMDR therapists and clients about their experiences with this
Let me know in the comments.

04/15/2026

My review of More or Less Maddy.
Great book and well written. Both the characters and the plot were interesting. I think the mental health content was accurate as well as how the family reacted.
I like Lisa Genova's books and this one is no exception.

04/13/2026

Side body stretch
For lats, intercostal muscles and sub scapula muscles.
Easy way to relieve tension in these areas. They often get tight

04/09/2026

Just wanted to update the services I offer. Please go to my website - link in bio - for more information.

04/08/2026

My review of A Heiresses Guide to

04/07/2026

Check out my April Blog post!
In this post I debunk the myth about Big T and small t trauma. Let's face it - if something that happened to you is affecting your system and making it hard to function it deserves treatment! Enough with the comparisons.
Click on the link in my bio to check out the full post on my website. If you or someone you know has experienced trauma click on the link in my bio to schedule a free consult.

04/06/2026

Stretch for the back of your neck
Involves a close up of your armpit so deodorant is recommended 🤣🤣