MEET
Vanessa
I find meaning in simple moments like swimming in the ocean, taking quiet walks, or sharing stories and laughter with family and friends. I grew up in Ontario but moved to BC to be closer to the water. Being in nature helps me feel grounded and a little less tangled up in all the noise.
Healing, to me, isn’t about quick fixes or perfect progress. It’s messy, slow, and often feels like taking two steps forward and one step back. I bring that same honest, curious, and down-to-earth energy to therapy. Whether you’re carrying heavy stuff or just trying to figure things out, I’m here to listen, hold space, and help you find your way.
MORE ABOUT ME
I’m a Canadian Certified Counsellor (#10004844) with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and a Registered Psychotherapist (#009259) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. I hold a Masters of Arts in Counselling and Spirituality from Saint Paul University in Ottawa, ON. Before starting my private practice, I worked at a non-profit group home for DeafBlind individuals and as a private nanny.
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Intersectionality is deeply important to me. I acknowledge the privilege I carry due to my own intersections and am committed to ongoing learning about systemic oppression. I actively engage in anti-colonial, anti-capitalist, and intersectional feminist work. As a white, cis, able-bodied, post-graduate educated woman of Greek and Portuguese descent (though I sadly don’t speak either language), I strive to bring a deep sense of awareness, humility, and openness to my work. My pronouns are she/her.
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The Polyvagal Theory in Practice; Helping Clients Reshape their Autonomic Nervous Systems, Deb Dana
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Depression - Practical Intervention Strategies, Janelle Jackiw
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San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training
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Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS): A Revolutionary & Transformative Treatment, Frank Anderson, MD
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Working Online with Couples Using EFT, Dr. Rebecca Jorgensen
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Introduction to Embodiment: Theory and Clinical practice, Dr. Hillary McBride
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EMDR & Parts Work for Treating Complex Trauma: Somatic Techniques to Decrease
Defensiveness and Facilitate Trauma Processing, Dr. Arielle Shwartz -
Relational Life Therapy Level 1, Dr. Terry Real and Kate Harris