Child, Youth & Adult Counselling in Victoria British Columbia

Are you feeling stuck with your life? Are you looking for ways to move forward? Your decision to find support for yourself or for your child can be a big step in addressing difficult situations, exploring new solutions of old problems, identifying strengths and developing new goals and strategies to achieve those goals.

Welcome, I’m Veronika Varga, I’m a Registered Clinical Counsellor providing counselling in Victoria BC. I understand how much courage it can take to ask for help, and I’m glad that you are here, looking for support to start your healing journey. In my work, I acknowledge and respect your diverse and unique experiences, struggles, strengths, and needs, and offer a safe place to discover your life story. I tailor action-oriented, effective tools for your meaning-making and healing processes.

Meet Veronika Varga

Registered Clinical Counsellor in Victoria BC

I’m an MA Therapist (European Union) and an MA Registered Clinical Counsellor (UVic, BC, Canada) with 12+ years of experience working in the field of mental health with a focus on helping children, youth and adults in many different contexts. I use a strengths-based, trauma-informed and person-centred lens to support my clients’ healing journey.

What I Do

Area of Expertise

I’m looking forward to working with all ages, from young children (2+) through youth and adults.

Anxiety
ADHD
Trauma
Depression
Emotional Regulation
Relationship Issues
Domestic Abuse
Low Self-Esteem, Boundaries
Grief
Neurodiversity

Anxiety

Is anxiousness getting in the way of your happiness and future goals? If you or your child often feel angry, irritable, overwhelmed, and stuck, it is time to find the real core of your worry thoughts and learn new ways to connect and live your life.

Anxiety

Is anxiousness getting in the way of your happiness and future goals? If you or your child often feel angry, irritable, overwhelmed, and stuck, it is time to find the real core of your worry thoughts and learn new ways to connect and live your life.

Depression

Do you feel exhausted, hopeless, lonely, and helpless? Counselling help explore your feelings and find better life satisfaction and social functioning. Let’s find the root of your sadness and make a positive impact on your mental health journey.

Depression

Do you feel exhausted, hopeless, lonely, and helpless? Counselling help explore your feelings and find better life satisfaction and social functioning. Let’s find the root of your sadness and make a positive impact on your mental health journey.

Trauma

Are you often dissociating, feeling numb, confused, angry, or irritable? If you experienced something hurtful in the past that still blocks your present, counselling helps you by using trauma-informed interventions tailored to your needs.

Trauma

Are you often dissociating, feeling numb, confused, angry, or irritable? If you experienced something hurtful in the past that still blocks your present, counselling helps you by using trauma-informed interventions tailored to your needs.

Emotional Regulation

Do you often feel that your emotions overwhelm you and your body wants to explode? In our counselling sessions, you can learn how to recognize, be aware and manage your need for emotional and self-regulation and how to respond to stress and distress healthily.

Emotional Regulation

Do you often feel that your emotions overwhelm you and your body wants to explode? In our counselling sessions, you can learn how to recognize, be aware and manage your need for emotional and self-regulation and how to respond to stress and distress healthily.

ADHD

Is it hard to focus, follow instructions, organize life, and manage your behaviour? Counselling interventions, such as behavioural therapies or lifestyle management help reduce stress and build predictable routines, clear boundaries, achievable goals, and rewards.

ADHD

Is it hard to focus, follow instructions, organize life, and manage your behaviour? Counselling interventions, such as behavioural therapies or lifestyle management help reduce stress and build predictable routines, clear boundaries, achievable goals, and rewards.

Domestic Abuse

Trauma such as domestic violence puts our bodies in a state of hyperarousal, which means you are essentially always on edge and ready to fight, flight, or freeze. Understanding the circle of abuse and saying no to it is essential for your emotional and physical health. Counselling helps to find your voice and build your boundaries and a healthy future for yourself and your family.

Domestic Abuse

Trauma such as domestic violence puts our bodies in a state of hyperarousal, which means you are essentially always on edge and ready to fight, flight, or freeze. Understanding the circle of abuse and saying no to it is essential for your emotional and physical health. Counselling helps to find your voice and build your boundaries and a healthy future for yourself and your family.

Relationship Issues

Do you have some conflict with your partner, friend, or family member? Do you want to learn about how to find your needs, build your boundaries, and communicate them in a non-violent, healthy, and effective way? Call us today and let yourself be seen and heard again.

Relationship Issues

Do you have some conflict with your partner, friend, or family member? Do you want to learn about how to find your needs, build your boundaries, and communicate them in a non-violent, healthy, and effective way? Call us today and let yourself be seen and heard again.

Low Self-Esteem

Do you feel unlovable, incompetent or inadequate? Does your negative self-talk and lack of confidence prevent you to do what you really want to do and to become the person who you really want to be? Counselling helps you rethink and change your inner voice, find your strengths and motivations and build your healthy self-image.

Low Self-Esteem

Do you feel unlovable, incompetent or inadequate? Does your negative self-talk and lack of confidence prevent you to do what you really want to do and to become the person who you really want to be? Counselling helps you rethink and change your inner voice, find your strengths and motivations and build your healthy self-image.

Grief

Are you experiencing the loss of someone or something important? Let us help you cope with the emotional, physical, cognitive, social, and spiritual responses to your grief, and work on new meanings of your present life.

Grief

Are you experiencing the loss of someone or something important? Let us help you cope with the emotional, physical, cognitive, social, and spiritual responses to your grief, and work on new meanings of your present life.

Neurodiversity

Our counselling sessions provide neurodivergent children and adults a safe place to explore challenges in depth and develop a positive view, and adaptable skills for connecting to the world. Music, art, and play therapy techniques are offered in those processes.

Neurodiversity

Our counselling sessions provide neurodivergent children and adults a safe place to explore challenges in depth and develop a positive view, and adaptable skills for connecting to the world. Music, art, and play therapy techniques are offered in those processes.

How I Can Help

My Approach

As I learn more about your stories, and needs, we can tailor your goals and therapeutic interventions to use the best support for your change. I offer a unique combination of psychodynamic, somatic, behavioural, cognitive, humanistic, art and strength-based approaches.

Primary concepts in sessions:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
EMDR and Somatic Therapy
Trauma-Focused Therapy
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
Art, Music and Play Therapy

Trauma-Focused Therapy

Trauma-Focused Therapy approach built on the understanding how traumatic experiences can affect individuals’ emotional, mental and physical well-being. In brief, it means that trauma is a predominantly sensory process and cannot be altered by cognitive interventions alone. TF Therapy we specifically aim to help survivors to heal from the effects of childhood or present traumatic events, starting with resolve the sense of safety and renew the sense of empowerment.

Trauma-Focused Therapy

Trauma-Focused Therapy approach built on the understanding how traumatic experiences can affect individuals’ emotional, mental and physical well-being. In brief, it means that trauma is a predominantly sensory process and cannot be altered by cognitive interventions alone. TF Therapy we specifically aim to help survivors to heal from the effects of childhood or present traumatic events, starting with resolve the sense of safety and renew the sense of empowerment.

Art, Music, and Play Therapy

Expressive Art, Music, and Play therapy are working with spontaneous, non-verbal visual or music expressions. In these psychoanalytical processes, clients' interactions help to reconnect with their environments, and get access to their unconscious thoughts and feelings. When words cannot spoke, there is a colour, a song, a play that help to emerge, release or understand emotions, explore challenges, or make meaning of unresolved experiences.

Art, Music, and Play Therapy

Expressive Art, Music, and Play therapy are working with spontaneous, non-verbal visual or music expressions. In these psychoanalytical processes, clients' interactions help to reconnect with their environments, and get access to their unconscious thoughts and feelings. When words cannot spoke, there is a colour, a song, a play that help to emerge, release or understand emotions, explore challenges, or make meaning of unresolved experiences.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT helps identify, understand, and correct distorted thoughts and negative core believes that have negative effect on our feelings and behaviours. CBT techniques also focused on implementing new strategies, creating new patterns of positive thoughts that support life changes.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT helps identify, understand, and correct distorted thoughts and negative core believes that have negative effect on our feelings and behaviours. CBT techniques also focused on implementing new strategies, creating new patterns of positive thoughts that support life changes.

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy

DBT is an interpersonal, emotional and social focused therapy approach, which helps people to accept their difficult feelings, thoughts and dysfunctional behaviours and teaches skills how to change them to healthy behaviours and routines.

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy

DBT is an interpersonal, emotional and social focused therapy approach, which helps people to accept their difficult feelings, thoughts and dysfunctional behaviours and teaches skills how to change them to healthy behaviours and routines.

EMDR and Somatic Therapy

EMDR is an evidence-based psychotherapy approach that help to decrease or eliminate distress and improve the view of self. EMDR works with past experiences, present triggers and potential future challenges using eight phases of treatment. Somatic therapy helps EMDR processes by releasing traumatic experiences and emotional issues that trapped inside the body.

EMDR and Somatic Therapy

EMDR is an evidence-based psychotherapy approach that help to decrease or eliminate distress and improve the view of self. EMDR works with past experiences, present triggers and potential future challenges using eight phases of treatment. Somatic therapy helps EMDR processes by releasing traumatic experiences and emotional issues that trapped inside the body.

Testimonials

See What Others Are Saying

Kristin

“I feel so thankful to find and work with Veronika after my young son was diagnosed with AHDH. He accepted Veronika right away and was happy to visit her every time. My son seemed much calmer after sessions and learned useful skills to be more focused during the week. Veronika’s playfulness, practical strategies helped my son feeling more comfortable and calm at school. Thanks, Veronika”

Anne

“Before coaching with Veronika I was struggling with my relationship with my father and looking for help in repairing our relationship. Just before our sessions began I also lost my partner. Veronika was incredibly supportive during our time together, she held space for my grief and also helped me wrap my head around my family struggles which led to me reconnecting with my father. Veronika shared resources and book recommendations along the way which were all very helpful. She was really easy to talk with and made me feel comfortable and heard during the hardest time of my life. Thank you Veronika!”

Breanne

“I looked forward to my sessions with Veronika because of her genuine warm nature which made it really easy to open up and feel heard. I really appreciated Veronika’s ability to listen and respond insightfully to help me recognize my strengths where I was seeing weakness, my growth where I was feeling shame and self compassion where I struggled with perfectionism.”

Melissa

“What I loved about working with Veronika was her realness, compassion and the trust that I felt with her. She supported me to believe in myself and challenged me in ways that led to transforming some deep wounds and being able to move forward with my goals with more confidence and agency.”

Barbara

“What I loved most about counselling with Veronika is that she was down to earth and truly understood the trauma I live with and where I was coming from. Also the fact that we were able to have a laugh during some of our discussions, it was a great stress reliever.”

Meaghan

“Veronika was one of the most understanding, caring, and helpful counsellor I have had. She never passes any judgment, but always provided helpful insight into whatever I was struggling with. She helped me set strong boundaries and change perspectives on things in my life that overall helped me cope better and see things in a better light!”

Rates and Services

$150 / 50 min

In person sessions in Victoria BC (Oak Bay or Quadra Village, Victoria)

Telephone or online sessions across BC

(250) 884 0143
info@animatocounselling.com

Insurance:

Most of the extended health plans cover counselling services of Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC). I don’t provide third party billing, but provide the invoice and receipt that you can submit for reimbursement.

15-minutes Consultation

I offer a 15 minutes free consultation, which is an opportunity for getting to know each other and see if we are a good fit for each other. You can introduce yourself and something you would like to work on, ask questions and hear a bit more about how I can help you.

Contact Veronika Today!

Call Today:

(250) 884 0143

Email Veronika:

info@animatocounselling.com