Who are the Best Trauma Counsellors in Calgary?
counselling for panic attacks
9 Calgary Panic Attack Counsellors [No Waitlist]
Panic attacks can feel terrifying: heart racing, chest tight, convinced something is terribly wrong. Whether you're having your first panic attack or have been struggling for years, you deserve support that actually helps. At Shelly Qualtieri & Associates, our team of Calgary panic attack counsellors offers compassionate, evidence-based therapy with no waitlist, so you can start feeling better sooner.
Jump to a therapist
Adrianna Rabeda-Kowalczak: Good fit for adults caught in cycles of anxiety and overthinking
Ana Tiruta: Good fit for adults whose panic is rooted in childhood trauma or attachment wounds
Hannah Wilson: Good fit for adults healing from toxic relationships who also struggle with anxiety
Kim Noll: Good fit for new parents and women experiencing postpartum or perinatal anxiety
Lorena Koenig: Good fit for women experiencing anxiety linked to perimenopause or chronic illness
Marizabel Forno: Good fit for athletes and students facing performance anxiety and mental blocks
Puja Patel: Good fit for immigrants and individuals navigating anxiety rooted in relational or cultural trauma
Shelly Qualtieri: Good fit for teens and families navigating panic and emotional crisis
Smyrna Gonzalez: Good fit for men looking for a non-judgmental space to work through anxiety and low confidence
Meet our Calgary panic attack therapists
Adrianna Rabeda-Kowalczak
Adrianna brings a future-oriented, candid approach to panic attack therapy, helping clients understand why their nervous system reacts the way it does, and building practical skills to interrupt the cycle. Drawing from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, she offers a well-rounded toolkit that goes beyond surface-level coping to create real, lasting change.
For adults who have tried "just relaxing" without success, Adrianna's structured, skills-based style offers a clear path forward. Plus, Adrianna is one of the few local anxiety counsellors offering sessions in both English and Polish.
Credentials: Registered Provisional Psychologist
Specialty Areas: Anxiety and overthinking, stress management and burnout, depression and low motivation, life transitions
Ana Tiruta
Ana specialises in the connection between early developmental experiences and present-day anxiety, making her an excellent fit for clients who sense their panic is tied to deeper wounds, not just present-day stress. Using somatic therapies, mindfulness, and attachment-based approaches, she works at the root level rather than just managing symptoms, helping clients build genuine safety in their bodies and relationships.
Ana is also one of the few local counsellors fluent in both English and Romanian, expanding access for Calgary's Romanian-speaking community.
Credentials: Registered Professional Counsellor
Specialty Areas: Developmental and childhood trauma, anxiety and OCD, attachment in relationships, somatic and mindfulness-based therapy
Hannah Wilson
Hannah's background working with people affected by domestic violence and sexual abuse gives her a distinct understanding of how chronic anxiety often develops in the context of unsafe or unpredictable relationships, not just out of nowhere. She creates a connected, accepting space where clients can address both the anxiety and the relational wounds underneath it, using CBT, trauma-informed approaches, and motivational interviewing to build practical skills alongside deeper insight.
For clients who feel their anxiety is tangled up with their relationship history, Hannah offers a level of contextual understanding that many anxiety-focused therapists miss.
Credentials: Registered Provisional Psychologist
Specialty Areas: Anxiety and stress, relationship issues, trauma, intimate partner violence recovery, communication and emotional expression
Kim Noll
Kim is one of Calgary's few therapists who focuses specifically on the anxiety and panic that can emerge during and after pregnancy: a period when many people feel too overwhelmed or ashamed to ask for help. Her warm, evidence-informed style creates a space where clients feel truly understood rather than judged, and her work with postpartum depression, OCD, and emotional dysregulation means she can support the full complexity of perinatal mental health.
If your panic feels tied to the transition into parenthood, Kim offers a level of specialised care that's difficult to find elsewhere.
Credentials: Registered Provisional Psychologist
Specialty Areas: Postpartum anxiety and depression, infertility and pregnancy loss, OCD, trauma, parenting stress and burnout
Lorena Koenig
Lorena fills an important gap in Calgary's mental health landscape: therapy for the anxiety, irritability, and overwhelm that come hand-in-hand with hormonal shifts and invisible illness—symptoms that are often dismissed or misunderstood.
She combines CBT, DBT, and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) to address both the physical and emotional sides of anxiety, making her an especially strong fit for women who feel like no one has connected all the dots before. Lorena offers virtual therapy across both Alberta and Ontario.
Credentials: Registered Social Worker
Specialty Areas: Perimenopause and hormonal mental health, chronic pain and invisible illness, emotional burnout, depression, anxiety, trauma, body image and chronic dieting
Marizabel Forno
As a registered psychologist with a background in sports psychology, Marizabel brings a rare and specialised perspective to panic and anxiety, particularly for athletes, students, and high performers who experience panic in high-stakes situations. She integrates mental performance coaching with clinical therapy, meaning clients don't just learn to manage anxiety but actively build the confidence and mental resilience to thrive under pressure.
Marziabel also offers psychoeducational assessments for younger clients, as well as adult ADHD assessments, making her a valuable resource for those whose anxiety exists in the context of neurodivergence and/or learning differences.
Credentials: Registered Psychologist, Sports Psychologist
Specialty Areas: Sports psychology and mental performance, performance anxiety, ADHD assessments, children and youth psychoeducational assessments, anxiety and depression
Puja Patel
Puja brings a culturally responsive lens to anxiety that's rare in Calgary's counselling landscape, particularly valuable for clients whose panic or anxiety is shaped by immigration stress, family trauma, or navigating relationships across cultural contexts.
Her integrative approach draws from multiple evidence-based lenses, tailored to each client's background and pace. Offering sessions in English, Hindi, and Gujarati, she is one of very few Calgary therapists able to support South Asian communities in their first language.
Credentials: Registered Professional Counselor, Registered Psychotherapist of Ontario (Q)
Specialty Areas: Anxiety, immigrant counselling, trauma, narcissistic and emotional abuse recovery, OCD, codependency and couples therapy
Shelly Qualtieri
With over 30 years of experience, Shelly Qualtieri is one of Calgary's most seasoned therapists for intense emotional pain (including panic attacks, suicidal ideation, and self-harm), making her a trusted choice for families who feel like they've exhausted other options.
Her approach centres on emotional regulation and real-world coping tools that clients can use immediately, not just in session. She works with teens (13+), adults, couples, and families, giving her a rare ability to support the whole family system when panic has taken over.
Credentials: Registered Social Worker, Practice Founder
Specialty Areas: Suicidal ideation, emotional regulation, self-harm, anxiety and depression, trauma, family and teen mental health
Smyrna Gonzalez
Smyrna has built her practice around men's mental health, an area where stigma often prevents people from seeking help until anxiety has significantly disrupted their lives. Her open, non-judgmental approach makes it easier for clients who have never felt comfortable in therapy to actually engage with the process, and her use of narrative therapy and Socratic dialogue helps clients reframe the stories they tell themselves about their anxiety and their identity.
Sessions are available in both English and Spanish, making her an accessible option for Calgary's Spanish-speaking community.
Credentials: Registered Provisional Psychologist
Specialty Areas: Men's mental health, anxiety, self-esteem and confidence, grief and loss, ADHD, OCD
What sets our practice apart from other Calgary panic attack counselling treatment providers
Our team brings together a diverse group of clinicians so that you can find the right fit, not just the next available appointment. Here's what makes us different:
01 No waitlist
Begin therapy when you're ready, not months from now.
02 Specialised, not generalist
Each clinician has focused areas of expertise rather than offering a little of everything.
03 Evenings + weekends
Therapy should fit into your life, not the other way around.
04 A full team under one roof
From provisional psychologists to registered social workers and certified counsellors, we match you to the right level of support.
05 virtual + in person
We offer in-person therapy in Calgary, with virtual sessions available across Alberta (and Ontario for select clinicians).
06 Multilingual services
Counselling available in Polish, Romanian, Spanish, Hindi, and Gujarati in addition to English.
07 assessments available
We offer ADHD and psychoeducational assessments for clients who want a clearer clinical picture.
What to expect from the therapy process
1. Free 30-minute consultation
Before committing to anything, you'll have a no-obligation call with your chosen therapist. This is a chance to share what's been happening, ask questions, and get a feel for whether the fit is right.
2. Personalised assessment and goal-setting
In your first full session, your therapist will take time to understand your history, your triggers, and what you most want to change. Together, you'll set meaningful, realistic goals that shape the direction of your work.
3. Building skills and strategies
Session by session, you'll develop concrete tools—from nervous system regulation techniques to cognitive strategies—that interrupt the panic cycle and give you something to reach for when anxiety spikes outside of the therapy room.
4. Sustaining progress and planning ahead
As you build confidence, your therapist will help you consolidate what you've learned and prepare for future challenges, so that the gains you make in therapy become a lasting part of how you move through the world.
FAQs about therapy for panic attacks
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Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder characterised by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and persistent worry about when the next one will strike. Common symptoms include:
Sudden, intense fear or sense of dread
Racing or pounding heart
Shortness of breath or chest tightness
Dizziness, trembling, or sweating
Feeling detached from reality or from yourself
Fear of losing control, going "crazy," or dying
Left untreated, panic disorder often leads to avoidance behaviours (such as steering clear of situations where attacks have happened before), which can significantly limit daily life. The good news is that panic disorder responds very well to therapy.
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Yes, and for many people, therapy alone is highly effective. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in particular has a strong evidence base for panic disorder and often produces lasting results that medication alone does not. That said, some people benefit from a combination of therapy and medication, especially early on, and our therapists are happy to work alongside your family doctor or psychiatrist.
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Look for a registered therapist, such as a psychologist, registered social worker, or certified counsellor, with specific experience treating anxiety disorders. Credentials matter, but so does fit—the therapeutic relationship itself is one of the strongest predictors of good outcomes. A free consultation is a great way to assess both before committing.
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There's not just one best type of therapy for panic attacks; it depends on your unique situation. At our practice, we use a blend of different evidence-backed approaches, including CBT, DBT, and ACT. Your therapist will work with you to find the treatment that works best for you.
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Therapy helps you understand why your nervous system is firing the alarm when there's no real danger and teaches you how to turn the volume down. Over time, you'll learn to recognise early warning signs, interrupt the panic cycle before it escalates, and gradually reduce your fear of the symptoms themselves, so they lose their power over your daily life.
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Yes, many extended health benefit plans in Canada cover sessions with registered psychologists, social workers, or certified counsellors, though coverage varies significantly by plan. We recommend checking with your insurance provider before your first session.