Warman, Saskatchewan S0K 4S0, Canada
Simplicity Counselling Services
You are welcome here. Together, we will create a gentle path toward healing and peace.
Est. 2016
Deb Mooney RSW, SEP
I am a registered Social Worker and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and founded my practice in 2016. I continue to advance my learning with Somatic Experiencing ®, having completed training EOTN 1 and 2 (working with near death experiences and anesthetic states) as well as Essential Strategies for Healing Sexual Trauma.
Personally, I am a woman who raised three children as a single parent. I have experienced childhood trauma, an emotionally abusive marriage and subsequent divorce, when my three children were 2, 4 and 6 years of age. With no child support, I struggled to make ends meet and parent alone. I began my University journey at the age of 38 and obtained my Bachelor of Social Work. I am grateful for the support I received from my family but I also understand that not everyone has that support. I am passionate about doing what I can to support others, while being mindful of my own limitations and boundaries, ( being a recovering people pleaser). My life experience has taught me that growth requires great discomfort at times, and we will all require support during periods of struggle. There is a great vulnerability is asking for help, but there is great strength as well. As Brene Brown says, " Vulnerability is not weakness; it is our greatest measure of courage,"
As far back as I can remember I have felt drawn to the mental health profession. Working with trauma and the nervous system requires compassion, trust and the ability to listen not only to your spoken words but the story your body is telling as well. It is collaborative work between the client and practitioner. It is a privilege I do not take lightly.
My Practice
Somatic Experiencing®
Somatic Experiencing® (SE™) is a trauma-informed therapeutic approach that focuses on the connection between the mind and body in the healing process. Developed by Peter A. Levine, SE is based on the understanding that trauma is not only held in our memories and thoughts, but can also be experienced through the nervous system and the body.
When we experience overwhelming or threatening events, our nervous system may become stuck in patterns of survival, such as fight, flight, freeze, or shutdown. This can contribute to experiences such as anxiety, emotional overwhelm, tension, numbness, difficulty feeling safe, or feeling disconnected from yourself and others.
Somatic Experiencing® gently supports the body’s natural ability to restore balance and resilience. Rather than focusing only on the details of traumatic experiences, SE helps you develop awareness of body sensations, recognize nervous system responses, and gradually release patterns of stress and survival that may no longer be serving you.
As a trauma therapist, I use a compassionate and paced approach to help you reconnect with your body, increase emotional regulation, and build a greater sense of safety and stability. Together, we work with your body’s wisdom and your personal experiences to support healing in a way that feels respectful and manageable.
Healing does not require you to relive the past. Somatic Experiencing® offers a pathway toward greater connection, self-awareness, resilience, and a renewed sense of well-being.
body and spirit.
SE differs from cognitive therapies in that its major interventional strategy involves bottom-up processing by directing the client's attention to internal sensations, both visceral (interoception and musculo-skeletal proprioception and kinesthesis) rather than primarily cognitive or emotional experiences. Peter Payne, Peter Levine
Transform Your Life with Simplicity Counselling Services
Individual Counseling
At Simplicity Counselling Services, I offer personalized one-on-one therapy. My approach is flexible, including in-person, virtual, and phone options, ensuring accessibility and convenience. focus on fostering resilience, self-awareness, and emotional well-being through a variety of modalities tailored to your unique needs.
Before you book
I offer in depth therapy for adults wanting more than symptom management. Therapy consists of exploring protective responses and patterns of behaviour, many of which were formed by early childhood experiences. Instead of offering quick fixes or surface level solutions, the work is slow and supportive and reflective. There is therapeutic benefit in creating a working foundation consisting of a safe space and therapeutic relationship. This supports lasting internal change. Rich, meaningful work requires consistency and commitment, which will often go over allotted benefits. If this approach resonates with you, I look forward to supporting you in your wellness exploration. I also offer free 15 minute phone consultations before booking if that is your preference.
Areas of Special Interest
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event that overwhelms the nervous system's ability to cope. Trauma may result from experiences such as accidents, physical or sexual assault, military service, natural disasters, medical trauma, or other events that threaten your sense of safety.
PTSD affects more than memories—it can change the way your brain and body respond to the world around you. You may experience intrusive thoughts or flashbacks, nightmares, heightened anxiety, difficulty sleeping, irritability, emotional numbness, or a constant sense of being on alert. Many people also avoid reminders of the trauma, making it difficult to fully engage in daily life or relationships.
These responses are not a sign of weakness. They are the nervous system's attempt to protect you after experiencing overwhelming events.
As a trauma therapist, I provide a safe, compassionate, and non-judgmental space to help you understand your experiences, regulate your nervous system, and process traumatic memories at a pace that feels right for you. Using evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches, we work together to reduce the impact of trauma, strengthen coping skills, and restore a sense of safety, confidence, and connection.
Recovery from PTSD is possible. Healing doesn't mean forgetting what happened—it means reducing the power trauma has over your life so you can move forward with greater resilience, hope, and well-being.
Developmental Trauma
Developmental trauma occurs when a child experiences ongoing stress, neglect, abuse, emotional invalidation, or inconsistent caregiving during their formative years. Because these experiences happen while the brain, nervous system, and sense of self are still developing, they can have lasting effects on emotional well-being, relationships, and overall health.
Developmental trauma often impacts how we see ourselves, connect with others, and respond to stress. You may experience anxiety, depression, difficulty trusting others, people-pleasing, perfectionism, emotional numbness, chronic shame, or a persistent feeling of being "not enough." These are not character flaws—they are adaptive survival responses to early experiences.
Healing begins with safety, compassion, and connection. Therapy provides a supportive space to gently explore the impact of past experiences, regulate the nervous system, process unresolved trauma, and develop healthier ways of relating to yourself and others.
With the right support, you can build resilience, strengthen your sense of self, create healthier relationships, and move beyond surviving to living a more connected, authentic, and fulfilling life.
Women navigating life changes
Life transitions can bring a mix of emotions—excitement, uncertainty, grief, fear, and hope. Even positive changes can feel overwhelming when they challenge your sense of identity, security, or direction. Whether you are moving through a major life transition, relationship changes, career shifts, motherhood, caregiving, loss, or a new chapter in life, you don’t have to navigate it alone.
For many women, life changes can bring up past experiences, unresolved emotions, or old patterns that make change feel especially difficult. You may find yourself questioning who you are, struggling to prioritize your own needs, feeling overwhelmed by expectations, or experiencing anxiety about the future.
Let's explore your emotions, strengthen your sense of self, build healthy boundaries, and develop the resilience needed to move through transitions with greater confidence and clarity.
Change can be an opportunity for growth, healing, and transformation. With support, you can move forward with greater self-trust, self-compassion, and a deeper connection to the person you are becoming.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a natural response to stress, but when it becomes persistent, overwhelming, or begins to interfere with daily life, it can leave you feeling exhausted, disconnected, and constantly on edge.
You may experience excessive worry, racing thoughts, restlessness, muscle tension, difficulty sleeping, panic attacks, or a sense that something bad is about to happen—even when there is no immediate danger.
For many people, anxiety is closely connected to past trauma or chronic stress. When the nervous system has learned to stay in survival mode, it can remain hypervigilant long after the original threat has passed. This can make it difficult to feel safe, relax, trust others, or fully engage in everyday life.
Together, we will explore the patterns and root causes that keep anxiety going, strengthen your ability to regulate your nervous system, and develop practical tools to help you feel calmer, more grounded, and more in control so you
don't have to live in a constant state of worry or overwhelm.
Depression
Depression is more than feeling sad or having a difficult day. It is a mental health condition that can affect your emotions, thoughts, physical health, and ability to function in daily life. You may experience persistent sadness, hopelessness, loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, low energy, changes in sleep or appetite, difficulty concentrating, or feelings of worthlessness.
Even everyday tasks can begin to feel overwhelming.
For many people, depression is connected to unresolved trauma, chronic stress, grief, or painful life experiences. When the nervous system has been overwhelmed for an extended period, depression can develop as a protective response, making it difficult to feel connected to yourself, others, and the world around you.
Rather than focusing only on symptoms, we explore the underlying experiences that may be contributing to your emotional pain. Together, we work to build emotional resilience, develop healthy coping strategies, regulate the nervous system, and foster greater self-compassion.
Identity and Relationships
Our sense of identity and our ability to form healthy relationships are shaped by our early experiences, relationships, and the environments in which we grow. When those experiences include trauma, neglect, rejection, or inconsistent care, it can affect how we see ourselves, how we relate to others, and whether we feel safe being authentic and connected.
Trauma can impact our sense of self, leaving us feeling disconnected, unsure of who we are, overly responsible for others, or caught between the need for closeness and the fear of being hurt. You may struggle with boundaries, trust, communication, self-worth, or finding a balance between caring for others and honoring your own needs.
In relationships, unresolved trauma can influence the patterns we repeat, including people-pleasing, avoiding conflict, withdrawing, feeling overly responsible for others' emotions, or experiencing difficulty feeling secure and understood. These patterns are often protective responses developed through past experiences—not personal failures.
Healing involves reconnecting with who you truly are and creating relationships where you can feel safe, valued, and seen.
Grief and loss
Grief is a natural response to loss, but it is not limited to the death of a loved one. Grief can arise from many experiences, including the loss of a relationship, a sense of safety, health, identity, dreams, childhood experiences, or the life you hoped you would have.
Grief can affect your emotions, thoughts, body, and relationships. You may experience sadness, anger, guilt, numbness, confusion, loneliness, difficulty concentrating, changes in sleep, or feelings of being overwhelmed. Grief is not a linear process, and there is no single “right” way to grieve. Each person’s experience is unique.
For those who have experienced trauma, grief can be especially complex. You may be grieving what happened, what was lost, or what you needed but did not receive. Past trauma can make it difficult to process loss, access emotions safely, or find meaning after painful experiences.
I provide a compassionate, trauma-informed space where grief can be acknowledged and explored at your own pace. Together, we can process painful emotions, honor your experiences, reconnect with your strengths and resilience.
personal and workplace stress
Stress is a natural response to the challenges and demands of life. However, when stress becomes ongoing or overwhelming, it can affect your emotional well-being, physical health, relationships, and ability to feel balanced and present in your life.
Personal and workplace stress can arise from many sources, including high expectations, burnout, difficult relationships, major life changes, caregiving responsibilities, workplace conflict, feeling unsupported, or the pressure to constantly perform. You may find yourself feeling exhausted, anxious, irritable, disconnected, overwhelmed, or unable to switch off from the demands around you.
For many people, chronic stress is connected to past experiences and patterns of coping that developed to help them survive challenging circumstances. Trauma and prolonged stress can leave the nervous system feeling as though it must always be prepared for the next demand, making rest, boundaries, and self-care feel difficult.
I can help you understand the impact of stress on your mind and body and we
can explore the underlying causes of overwhelm, develop healthier coping strategies, strengthen emotional regulation, and build skills to create greater balance and resilience.