Hey, I’m Theresa 

Wild Journey Recovery was born from a long personal journey in recovery. Recovery from trauma, anxiety, depression, burnout and addiction. This led me to pursue a professional path to support others in healing from trauma, chronic stress and addiction for the past eight years.

My perspective on recovery is that life is an ever-changing, messy path; nothing is linear, which is okay. It’s like the wild places I have been privileged to roam; the peaks and valleys are part of the depth of our human experience. The tangled earth and wooded places can be challenging to forge a path through, but the way to healing is formed with each step.

Recovery

for those suffering from trauma symptoms, anxiety, burnout, trauma, addiction and other stress-related concerns.

Recovery is a means to re-cover something that may have been misplaced, lost, or buried deep inside yourself. It can mean recovering from trauma, addiction, or any mental health disorder you may struggle with. Just like in the great outdoors, sometimes we need a guide, and I believe the same goes for navigating our internal wilderness.

I offer a space and place to recover from whatever you feel has been taken from you and support nervous system regulation to return to the life you envision for yourself. I believe that trauma and mental health symptoms are closely tied, and I have spent over ten years learning how best to support people in this place.

Theresa Rybchinski

BKin., M.S.W., R.S.W., SP., A.R.T Therapist

My Story

Professionally, I am a social worker, and a mental health and somatic practitioner working from a trauma-informed and anti-oppressive lens, blending somatic psychology, internal family systems, polyvagal theory and attachment theory.

I am also a human that got over some dark stuff. I leaned heavily on the wilderness to bring me home to myself.

Thank you for being here; I want to acknowledge the courage it takes to search for support, especially if your world feels dark right now. 

Secondly, although I cannot name names, I want to give gratitude to those who have supported me through the years. I deeply value community and connection and owe my life to those in my corner. I couldn’t have made it here without my community, mentors, and teachers.

My guiding principles

Safety, Dignity, Humanity, Connection, Curiosity, Respect, Empowerment, Integrity, Vulnerability, Service, Holism.

Woman standing on a fallen tree trunk in the middle of a birch tree forest

I’m passionate about this work because, like you, I have overcome my own health struggles and continue to constantly navigate the real human experiences and realities of life.

I know the dark world of a mental health disorder all too well.

I've walked alongside and loved a close family member entrenched in addiction for much of my life.

I also spent many years recovering from a personal mental health crisis, that led to addiction patterns and severe burnout.

I live with chronic illness and chronic pain understanding the endless ways that chronic health concerns can shake your world and take you far from the things that provide joy.

Flowers in the forest with the sun shining through the trees

I've journeyed into the dark depths, leaned on my support system, therapy and other healthcare providers and now know how to get through it and now want to support others in similar places. 

The gift of this experience is that I developed the empathic understanding to sit with others in their dark places, too.

There were many moments along the way when I thought it would never end, succumbing to the belief that my life would always be like this.

Can you relate?

Ultimately I found a way out and through to the other side.

Combining my love for the outdoors with somatic-based therapy, I successfully restructured my life to heal my mind and body. Humans have a deep capacity to heal, but sometimes, we must remember how to reconnect to what we have lost.

I owe my life and health to the wild places and the mountains that have held me over the years.

I lead from personal experience and a place of service. I help you unravel past experiences so that you can understand how these experiences impact your present-day experience and ultimately interfere with your wellness. By providing a space for healing, I will walk alongside you as you process and integrate your pain, restoring a sense of empowerment and vitality to your life.  

Education &
Career Background

I hold a Master's degree in Clinical Social Work specializing in Addiction and Mental Health and am a Registered Social Worker with the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW). Previously, I studied Kinesiology and Health Promotion at the University of Calgary. I am also a certified yoga teacher. I have accumulated numerous training and workshops in Trauma-Sensitive Yoga, Meditation and Mindfulness through the years. I am a trained Sensorimotor Psychotherapist, a form of Somatic Therapy. With my training, I consider myself a body-centred therapist, and I weave all of this knowledge and experience into my sessions with you.

Additionally, I have a decade of experience working in the healthcare profession, including working in the field of trauma and addiction at wilderness addiction treatment centers, inpatient and outpatient addiction centers, harm reduction programs and Indigenous mental health programs that support folks who have experienced various forms of trauma.