From May 11–13, 2026, The Gatehouse will host the first ever Transforming Trauma Together Festival at Humber College’s Lakeshore Campus in Toronto, a powerful three-day gathering dedicated to healing, learning, and connection. This free community event invites survivors of childhood sexual abuse, advocates, professionals, students, and community members to come together in a shared space of compassion and understanding.
The Transforming Trauma Together Festival was created with a simple but powerful belief: healing happens in community. When survivors are given opportunities to share their experiences, be heard without judgment, and connect with others who understand, it can be a transformative part of the recovery journey. The festival aims to foster those connections while also building awareness, knowledge, and solidarity across the broader community.
Over the course of three days, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of programming, including panel discussions, presentations, creative sessions, and community conversations. Speakers and facilitators will include individuals with lived experience, mental health professionals, advocates, educators, and leaders working in the field of trauma and recovery. These sessions will explore topics such as resilience, trauma-informed care, advocacy, storytelling, and the many ways individuals and communities can support survivors on their healing journeys.
What makes this festival unique is its focus on bringing together both lived experience and professional expertise. Survivors are not only welcomed, they are centered. Their voices, insights, and resilience help shape the conversation, reminding us that healing is not only possible but powerful when survivors are supported and empowered.
The festival also reflects the core mission of The Gatehouse. We are a Toronto-based charitable organization that has supported survivors of childhood sexual abuse for over 27 years. Through peer support groups, trauma-informed programming, and community education initiatives, The Gatehouse provides safe spaces where survivors can connect, process their experiences, and move forward with strength and dignity.
Events like the Transforming Trauma Together Festival play an important role in raising awareness about the long-term impacts of childhood sexual abuse while also highlighting the resilience of survivors. Trauma often thrives in silence and isolation, but community gatherings such as this one help break that silence. They encourage open dialogue, reduce stigma, and create opportunities for learning and collaboration among survivors, service providers, and the wider public.
The festival is also an opportunity to strengthen partnerships between organizations, advocates, and professionals working across sectors, including mental health, education, social services, and justice. By sharing knowledge and experiences, participants can better understand the complexities of trauma and work together toward more compassionate and survivor-centered systems of support.
Beyond the educational sessions and discussions, the festival aims to cultivate an atmosphere of hope, creativity, and empowerment. Participants will be encouraged to reflect, connect, and explore new perspectives on healing. Whether someone is early in their recovery journey or has been advocating for years, the festival offers space for meaningful conversations and supportive connections.
Most importantly, the Transforming Trauma Together Festival reminds us that survivors are not defined by what happened to them. They are defined by their courage, resilience, and the strength it takes to continue moving forward. When communities come together to support healing, we help create a future where survivors are seen, heard, and valued.
The Transforming Trauma Together Festival is free to attend, but registration is required. Individuals interested in participating are encouraged to reserve their tickets in advance at https://thegatehouse.org/transforming-trauma-together-festival
By coming together in conversation, learning, and solidarity, we can continue building communities where healing is possible and where survivors know they are never alone.
Guest Speakers
Matthew Ray Jones, Poet Laureate
Matt Gallagher, Canadian film director, producer and cinematographer
Thom Ernst, Canadian film critic and television host, Author of the Wild Boy of Waubamik
Heidi Philip
Arthur Lockhart, MEd.
Brad Hutchinson, https://www.bradhutchinson.org/
Aqeel Saeid, PhD
Maria Barcelos, MA, RP
Sabra Desai, PhD
Qi Gong Master Teresa Yeung
Jacqueline Yeung
Ghrian Shine https://ghrianshine.com/
Ramona Alaggia
Mike Allan
Stewart Thompson
Cathy Vine
Zada Jaffe
Agency Presenters
Family Services of Peel https://fspeel.org/
Bikers Against Child Abuse https://bacaworld.org/
Addiction Rehab Toronto https://addictionrehabtoronto.ca/
Recovery Without Borders https://ca.linkedin.com/company/recoverywithoutborders
Expressive Arts Therapists
Pramilda Zackhariyas- https://www.pramilda.com/
Antonietta Nesbit Miolla https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/therapists/antonietta-nesbit-miolla-toronto-on/1514548
Rieko Asaba https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/therapists/rieko-asaba-toronto-on/1583663
Beth Conklin
Guliz Akkaymak
Jacqueline Kaminski
Katia Miniovich
Shawna Lee Campbell https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/therapists/shawna-lee-campbell-toronto-on/1618812
Roxana Mares https://www.thesomaticspace.ca/
