Clinical Counselling Therapist • Speaker
Supporting first responders and trauma-exposed professionals to shift stress responses and improve daily functioning.
Get in touch.
Denise Harrietha is a Nova Scotia–based clinical therapist specializing in workplace psychological injuries, and nervous system regulation in high-pressure environments, with a focus on first responders and trauma-exposed professionals.
She supports clients in identifying stress responses, mapping patterns of activation, processing indexed traumatic events, and applying practical strategies to improve daily functioning. Her approach is grounded in over 13 years of crisis and counselling experience and integrates EMDR and Cognitive Processing Therapy with a focus on real-world application.
Denise also brings lived insight from a first responder family (career/volunteer fire fighter & police officer), informing a practical, grounded approach to trauma work.
Speaking Topics
I speak about how nervous system science and trauma response show up in real-world, high-pressure environments, and how to translate that understanding into practical, usable tools.
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Looks at how nervous system activation drives conflict, miscommunication, and shutdown in intimate relationships. Focus on recognizing patterns in real time and shifting responses before things escalate.
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Looks at how everyday environments like grocery stores trigger unexpected nervous system activation. Focus on spotting early cues and using grounding strategies in real time.
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Introduces SUD-based nervous system mapping as a functional pressure gauge for stress responses. Focuses on identifying rising activation and shifting states before reaching maximum distress.
Philosophy/Approach
My work begins with psychoeducation on the neuroscience of trauma in the brain and body, translating complex stress responses into clear, usable insight. From there, I support people in learning to recognize activation and points of distress within everyday tasks, and to apply practical strategies to shift and regulate in real time for improved function—especially in high trauma exposure roles where performance and regulation are tightly linked.
Professional Background
WORK EXPERIENCE
Clinical Therapist → CBI Health – Phoenix, Halifax, NS, 2024–Present
Counselling Therapist → BEAM Counselling and Art Therapy, New Glasgow, NS, 2018–2024
Developmental Interventionist → NSECDIS, New Glasgow, NS, 2022
Client Coordinator → Nova Scotia Works, Port Hawkesbury, NS, 2020–2021
Outreach Worker → Community Outreach Services, Jasper, AB, 2014–2019
EDUCATION
Advanced Diploma (Graduate Level), Art Therapy → Vancouver Art Therapy Institute, 2023
MA, Child and Youth Study → Mount Saint Vincent University, 2018
BA, Psychology → Saint Mary’s University, 2010
