What is childhood trauma therapy?

Childhood trauma therapy is a specialized form of therapy that helps adults process and heal from difficult experiences in childhood — including emotional neglect, abuse, parentification, and loss. At Marlo Drago Therapy, treatment follows a three-phase model: Safety and Stabilization, Processing, and Integration, using EMDR, somatic therapy, and IFS.

How does EMDR help with childhood trauma?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) helps the brain reprocess stuck traumatic memories using bilateral stimulation — eye movements, tapping, or sounds. For childhood trauma, EMDR can reduce the emotional intensity of old memories so they no longer drive current behaviour, anxiety, or relationship patterns.

Do I need to remember my childhood trauma to heal from it?

No. Healing from childhood trauma does not require a detailed or clear memory of what happened. Many clients carry the effects of early experiences — anxiety, people-pleasing, difficulty with trust — without having explicit memories. Therapy works with your nervous system and present-day patterns, not just the past.

Is childhood trauma therapy available virtually in Ontario?

Yes. Marlo Drago Therapy offers fully virtual childhood trauma therapy across Ontario, including Toronto, Ottawa, London, Guelph, Mississauga, Hamilton, York Region, and North York. Sessions are delivered via a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform.

Can therapy help with chronic pain?

Yes. Research consistently shows that chronic pain — including fibromyalgia, migraines, and medically unexplained pain — has strong connections to the nervous system and unprocessed trauma. Therapy using EMDR, somatic approaches, and polyvagal-informed care can reduce pain intensity, improve function, and address the emotional roots of chronic pain.

What is EMDR therapy for chronic pain?

EMDR for chronic pain uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain and nervous system reprocess pain signals and the traumatic experiences often connected to them. Marlo Drago is an EMDR-trained therapist with personal lived experience of fibromyalgia, migraines, and myofascial pain disorder, and her own healing through EMDR.

Is therapy for chronic pain available virtually in Ontario?

Yes. Chronic pain therapy with Marlo Drago is fully virtual and available to clients across Ontario. Sessions are delivered via a secure HIPAA-compliant video platform — accessible by phone, tablet, or computer.

What is therapy for moms?

Therapy for moms is trauma-informed care designed specifically for the challenges mothers face — mom burnout, postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, birth trauma, mom guilt, identity loss, and childhood wounds surfacing through parenting. Marlo Drago Therapy works with mothers aged 16 and up across Ontario.

Does therapy help with postpartum anxiety and depression?

Yes. Postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression are highly treatable with the right support. Therapy can help you understand what's happening in your nervous system, process the emotional weight of early motherhood, and develop skills to regulate your mood and feel more like yourself again. Marlo Drago has personal experience with postpartum depression and anxiety.

What is birth trauma and can therapy help?

Birth trauma refers to a distressing or frightening experience during labour, delivery, or the early postpartum period. It can leave mothers with flashbacks, anxiety, difficulty bonding, or a sense of numbness. EMDR therapy is particularly effective for birth trauma and is offered at Marlo Drago Therapy virtually across Ontario.

Yes. Mom burnout is a real and recognized state of physical and emotional exhaustion caused by the chronic stress of caregiving with insufficient support. Signs include resentment, emotional numbness, irritability, and a loss of your sense of self. Therapy can help you understand the roots of burnout and rebuild in a sustainable way.

What is polyvagal therapy?

Polyvagal therapy is a nervous system-informed approach to healing that uses the principles of Polyvagal Theory — developed by Dr. Stephen Porges — to help people move out of chronic fight, flight, or freeze states. It focuses on building a felt sense of safety in the body as the foundation for emotional regulation and trauma healing.

How does polyvagal therapy work for trauma?

Polyvagal-informed therapy helps you identify which state your nervous system is in — safe and connected, mobilized (anxious, angry), or shut down (frozen, numb) — and develops skills to move toward regulation. Combined with EMDR and somatic therapy, it addresses trauma at the level of the body, not just the mind.

Is polyvagal therapy available virtually in Ontario?

Yes. Polyvagal-informed therapy with Marlo Drago is available virtually across Ontario. All individual therapy is delivered via a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform — no app download required.

Creating a Holiday Season That Actually Feels Good for You

Marlo Drago

Dec 19, 2025

3 min read

Many of my clients enter December feeling pulled between obligation and authenticity. They want connection, but they also want rest. They want traditions, but not the ones that drain them. They want joy, but not at the expense of their mental health.

If this sounds familiar, here’s your permission slip: You’re allowed to create a holiday experience that actually feels good for you.

Let’s talk about “shoulds”

You should go to the family dinner.
You should host.
You should buy gifts for everyone.
You should keep every tradition alive.

Scenario: You RSVP “yes” to every invitation, spend hours wrapping gifts for people who barely notice, and collapse exhausted by December 24th. You’re overwhelmed, irritable, and resentful — yet you still feel like you should do it all. But what if the “shoulds” are the very thing keeping you burnt out?

Holiday season burnout is real

Especially if you’re a cycle breaker who grew up managing others’ emotions. You might still feel responsible for everyone else’s experience — even as an adult. That drive to over-give is rooted in your nervous system, your history, and survival strategies.

Redefining the holidays is not selfish. It’s healing.

Ideas for creating a holiday that honors your needs

1. Choose a theme

Calm, cozy, simple, intentional, restorative.
Scenario: You decide your household will focus on “cozy and calm” — minimal decorations, soft lighting, and quiet music — instead of chasing perfection.

2. Plan “buffer days”

Days with no obligations, no events, no expectations.
Somatic tip: On buffer days, notice your body. Take a long bath, stretch, or walk in nature. Let your nervous system reset.

3. Opt out of traditions that no longer fit

Just because you’ve always done something doesn’t mean you must continue.
Scenario: You skip the chaotic extended family brunch and instead enjoy a slow breakfast at home.

4. Create new rituals rooted in your values

Focus on what truly brings you meaning and joy.
Examples: Cooking one meal you love, lighting a candle to reflect on gratitude, or journaling about the past year.

5. Prioritize connection that feels safe, warm, and mutual

Let go of toxic or draining interactions.
DBT skill: Use DEAR MAN to set clear limits with family or friends — politely, firmly, and compassionately.

6. Nourish your body and mind on key days

Sleep in, enjoy a slow breakfast, take a walk, or journal.
Somatic tip: Notice where tension accumulates in your body and use gentle stretches, breathing, or warmth to release it.

Examples of meaningful new traditions

A holiday movie night with just your immediate family
A quiet morning with tea and soft music
Donating to a cause that matters to you
Cooking one meal you genuinely enjoy
Setting intentions for the coming year instead of rigid resolutions
Doing nothing — truly nothing — for an entire day

Scenario: You spend Christmas Eve curled up with a favorite book and candlelight, enjoying the calm rather than rushing to attend multiple events. You notice your chest and shoulders relax, your mind quiets, and you actually feel present.

Here’s the truth

Your holidays don’t need to look like anyone else’s. They don’t need to be big, social, or packed with events. They don’t need to be perfect. They don't need to be insta-worthy, picture-perfect,

They only need to feel like they’re yours.

Compassionate reminder: Your worth is not measured by how many gatherings you attend or how many gifts you give. It’s measured by your presence, your self-care, and your ability to show up for yourself.

In Wellness,