RCMP Trauma Therapy That Works: Real Support for Officers and Families | Limestone Clinic Kingston

Dr. Kris Boksman, C.Psych
May 24
7 min read

By Dr. Kris Boksman, Clinical Psychologist & Owner at Limestone Clinic Kingston Counselling & Psychotherapy

RCMP uniform on a couch with a hat, vest, and boots. A sleeping dog lies on the wooden floor with a toy block nearby. Cozy home setting. — *Trauma doesn’t end with the shift. It comes home. We’re here to help RCMP members and their partners find healing.*

Let’s get real about something we all see but rarely say out loud: RCMP officers are hurting. Emotionally. Psychologically. Existentially. Sometimes silently, sometimes with a scream into the void of an empty patrol car. And guess what? That kind of suffering doesn’t just disappear because someone’s got a badge on their chest or a solid “poker face” perfected over 15 years of crisis calls.

Here’s the hard truth: policing is traumatizing. Period.

I recently read the article “Supporting the Mental Health of RCMP Officers” in Psynopsis (Vol. 47, Issue 1) from the Canadian Psychological Association. And while it was validating to see psychological professionals finally giving this topic the serious airtime it deserves, it also reminded me how far we still have to go. Our RCMP clients—many of whom I’ve had the honour of supporting in therapy—are still falling through the cracks of a system that wasn’t designed with their unique trauma needs in mind.

So let’s fix that. Let’s talk about it. Let’s blow up the stigma. And let’s laugh a little along the way, because we can talk about devastating things without sounding like a wet paper bag full of dread. (Trauma humour is a survival skill—look it up.)

What PTSD Looks Like in First Responders: RCMP Trauma Therapy Realities

RCMP officer in red uniform and hat, with a serious expression, stands outdoors. Text: Supporting the Mental Health of RCMP Officers. — *PTSD doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like numbing, snapping, or just not feeling like yourself anymore.*

When the average citizen thinks of trauma, they might picture dramatic Hollywood-style flashbacks or nightmares. But trauma in first responders often looks... different. It looks like:

Irritability you can’t turn off even when the shift is over.
Emotional numbness that sneaks up on you.
Relationship breakdowns that seem to happen out of nowhere.
Hypervigilance, even on your days off.

The CPA article confirms what we’ve seen firsthand: RCMP members experience high rates of cumulative trauma exposure, operational stress injuries, moral injury, and burnout. But many don’t seek help—either because they don’t think they need it, or because they think therapy won’t work.

We’re here to prove otherwise.

What Trauma Actually Looks Like (Hint: It’s Not Just Flashbacks in the Shower)

Pop culture has done a terrible job of preparing anyone—officer or otherwise—for what trauma really looks like. So let me bust a few myths right now:

Myth: “If I’m not having nightmares or flashbacks, I’m fine.” Reality: Some of the most impairing trauma symptoms are the quiet ones—avoidance, emotional shutdown, feeling nothing when you know you should feel something. That’s trauma, too.
Myth: “I should be able to handle this. I’m trained for it.” Reality: Repeated trauma exposure changes brain structure and function. No amount of tactical training rewires a dysregulated nervous system.
Myth: “Therapy is for people who are weak.” Reality: Therapy is for people who want their power back.

Trauma Treatment in Kingston That Works: What We Use for PTSD in RCMP Members

Gray sofa and wooden table with a mug and plant. Lamp lit beside. Wall art reads "NO BS THERAPY ZONE." Calm, minimalist setting. — *We take our trauma work seriously—but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We're regular people like everybody else. Welcome to the No BS Therapy Zone.*

At Limestone Clinic, we use trauma therapies that are trusted and effective:

EMDR
Brainspotting
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)

We treat adults only in individual and couples counselling formats. We don’t do family therapy—because we know what we do best, and we stick to it.

What makes our work with RCMP clients different is how confidently we approach it. We’ve been doing this for years. We understand the cultural context, the trauma load, and the toll it takes at home.

In individual therapy, we work to help RCMP officers and veterans resolve traumatic exposure, nervous system overarousal, and the lingering effects of years of cumulative stress. We target the PTSD symptoms—flashbacks, emotional numbing, sleep problems, relationship strain—and we treat them at the root.

For spouses and partners, we offer individual therapy to provide clarity, coping strategies, and insight. What is PTSD? What isn’t it? How do you interact with a loved one who isn’t acting like themselves anymore? Our work helps them regain footing in a relationship that often feels like it’s been hijacked by a job.

And then, for couples who are both doing the individual work, we offer expert couples therapy to help them rebuild communication, trust, and intimacy. Not with cheesy worksheets or “ten tips for better listening” garbage—but with clinically backed, effective strategies that respect the complexity of what they’ve lived through.

No, You Don’t Have to Stay Broken: the Big, STUPID Trauma Lie

Uh. My LEAST favourite thing. My biggest trauma therapist pet peeve? I can’t tell you how many people I’ve heard say something like:

“Well... I’ve got PTSD, and my psychiatrist says you never really shake it. I guess I just have to learn how to live with it.”

OMG Nope. NOPE. Just... nope!!!!

(and that is a direct Dr. Kris quote)

This idea that PTSD is a life sentence with no hope of improvement? That it’s some kind of personality tattoo you got in the line of duty? That is categorically false—and honestly a little dangerous.

Yes, trauma healing is hard. It requires work, honesty, showing up for conversations you’ve avoided for years, and yes—sometimes that work absolutely sucks. But healing is possible. With the right tools. With a properly trained clinician. And no, I’m not talking about someone who just took a “Trauma Informed Instagram Masterclass for Therapists” last weekend.

(You think I’m joking. I. WISH. I. WERE.)

At Limestone Clinic, we take mentorship and skill seriously. "Trauma-informed" does not equal "I know what the fuck I am doing with that nasty-ass trauma crap, this isn't my first rodeo, and I've got your six." (ah! So sorry, the sailor/cop in me just snuck out a little)

We don’t just hire people who say they’re into trauma therapy—we vet our teammates, then we offer to train, mentor, and support our clinicians to deliver the real thing. Not the diluted version. Not the fluff. Nobody here is gonna tell you to take a hot bath and do some journaling (well, unless you want to).

We offer legit therapy. The hard stuff. The kind of trauma therapy that kicks the tar out of PTSD and makes room for real healing to happen. We want you to fire us and get on with your damn lives.

Illustrated brain with glowing lights on its surface, set against a dark blue background. Warm, bright tones create a thoughtful mood. — Healing from PTSD is possible. Don't let anybody tell you different.

Why Humour, Safety, and Relatability Matter in First Responder Counselling

Trauma work is intense. But it’s also incredibly human. Which is why we show up as... actual humans.

We get it—you’ve probably seen things most people couldn’t stomach. The last thing you want is a therapist who looks panicked the minute you mention a death scene.

We build safety, humour, and rapport from the start. Sometimes we have spinach in our teeth (or cilantro?). We spill our coffees. We can't remember how you spell "rhythm." We don’t pretend we’ve never needed therapy ourselves.

We’re relatable, experienced, and real. You won’t find sterile offices, fancy shoes, or aloof, clipboard-clutching clinicians pretending they’ve got their entire life together. (Okay fine, I still use a clipboard. It’s my dinosaur comfort object. Let me live.)

What you will find is a team of skilled professionals who know how to balance serious work with serious connection. We know how to have a deep conversation about trauma exposure and laugh at a good dad joke. (Or a fart joke. We’re not picky.)

We meet first responders where they are. And that often means minding the pace, respecting the reticence, and building a real relationship first. It means showing these folks that we’re not naïve, not going to flinch at stories from the front line, and not afraid to talk about what really happened.

We’re not going to sugar coat this work. It ain't easy. It's not all smiles, beautiful people piggybacking through meadows, with fireflies in the background. Barf.

Nope, after you see us you may need a good carb-loading, a Netflix binge, and your favourite blanket or fur-covered companion. But we also won’t string clients along for years of softly-lit we're-more-afraid-of-your-trauma-than-you-are therapy that avoids the hard stuff and doesn't really get you there. We’re surgical when we need to be. Kind, always. And absolutely unafraid of the grit. Bring it on.

Man in gray "RCMP-GRC" shirt holding remote on a gray couch with a Rottweiler. Beige pillow and curtains in the background. Relaxed mood. — Anybody got popcorn? Doing the hard work in therapy means taking good care of yourself, which includes taking the rest when your brain and body need it.

Ready to Feel Like Yourself Again? Book With Us.

If you're reading this and thinking,

“That’s me. I think this is me,”

then yes—this article is absolutely about you.

If you’ve served with the RCMP (oh heck, you're a first responder in a different role - you get it) and feel like your trauma has hijacked your life, your sleep, your personality, or your marriage—book with us.

If you’re the spouse who’s been holding it all together but feels like you’re running on fumes—book with us.

👉 Click here to book your first session with one of our amazing therapists.

👉 Or check out our trauma therapy page to learn more about how we work.

We're local to Kingston, yes—but with virtual therapy across Ontario, we’ve got your six no matter where you are.