Finding the right support isn’t always easy — but it’s essential.
Reaching out takes courage, and I honour that step. I’m here to walk alongside you, offering a space where you feel seen, heard, and supported.
Naomi Laurin
MSW, RSW, B.A Psych
As a therapist with firsthand insight into the challenges faced by first responders, my goal is to help you not just manage — but thrive. Together, we’ll build tools to navigate the weight of your work, strengthen your personal relationships, and reconnect with the parts of yourself that may have been put on hold in the process.
Through my experience as a paid-on-call firefighter and in my current role in the Emergency Department, I’ve seen how the ripple effects of traumatic events extend far beyond the immediate moment — impacting individuals, their families, teams, and entire communities.
Over time, it became clear just how limited the tailored support is for those in high-intensity roles like firefighting, paramedicine, and frontline healthcare. That realization sparked a commitment in me: to become the kind of support I saw so many of my colleagues and peers go without. My goal has been to help close the gap between mental health care and the unique culture, challenges, and values of first responders.
Building inner knowledge & trust
Understanding your unique needs as you face the challenges of your role.
Finding relief from anxiety
Cultivating self-regulation techniques and supporting your nervous system in high-stress situations.
Turning off the work brain
Developing techniques to create mental boundaries, allowing you to disconnect and recharge outside of work hours.
Addressing burnout
And organizational stress to help you regain balance and resilience in your work.
Healing from trauma
Whether from past incidents or ongoing exposure, to foster emotional well-being.
Managing compassion fatigue
And restoring your sense of purpose and connection to your work and community.
Specialties
Services
Individual 50-Minute Session
$150
Individual 80-Minute Session
$225
As a Registered Social Worker, I am able to direct bill a number of insurance providers. I also accept e-transfer.
If you have questions about if I am able to direct bill to your provider - please reach out!
Training
I am a Registered Social Worker with the BC College of Social Workers and a member of the BC Association of Social Workers. I completed my Master of Social Work with a clinical specialization at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus.
Assisting Individuals in Crisis and Group Crisis Intervention (CISM), June 2025
ERAC - Critical Incident Stress Management, May 2025
Advanced Training - EMDR for First Responders, April 2025
EMDR 2.0 Special Techniques, October 2024
EMDR 2.0: Enhancing EMDR Therapy, October 2024
Caps-5 Training: Best practice method to diagnose PTSD by Suzy Matthijssen, July 2024
EMA First Responder License Issuance (Renewed) - License #: 150934, May 2021, June 2024, May 2027
Occupational Awareness Training: Understanding Fire Culture -First Responder Health, November 2023
EMDR Trained Clinician - EMDR Consulting, July 2023
Cognitive Processing Therapy - CPT for PTSD, April 2023
Motivational Interviewing Strategies & Application (CCMI), April 2023
Serious Illness Conversation Workshop (CPD Faculty of Medicine, UBC), August 2022
Trauma-Informed Care Certificate (Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute), January 2022
SWKNAQINX Aboriginal Health Modules (Cultural Safety Curriculum), April 2020
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) helps the brain deal with trauma.
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a therapy designed to help people heal from distressing memories and experiences that may feel "stuck." When something deeply upsetting happens, your brain might not process it properly, leaving you feeling like you're reliving it whenever something reminds you of it.
During EMDR, we work to focus on a specific upsetting memory while guiding you through a series of eye movements, taps, or sounds. This back-and-forth motion (called bilateral stimulation) helps your brain "reprocess" the memory, so it feels less intense and loses its grip over time.
Think of it like organizing a messy filing cabinet. Right now, the upsetting memory is like a loose paper on the desk, always in your way. EMDR helps file it away properly—still there, but no longer disrupting your life. It doesn’t erase the memory; it helps you feel calmer and more in control when you think about it.
Throughout these steps, you’re always in the driver’s seat, and I’m here to guide and support you. The process may feel intense at times, but it’s designed to leave you feeling lighter, more in control, and less impacted by the memory over time.
This 10-minute video from the International Association explains how EMDR works, what to expect during a session, and how most people feel after completing the treatment.