Anxiety Therapists in Nanaimo, BC
Dan McMath
Transformative Life Coach and Psychotherapist
Blending all my knowledge and experience to help you sift through your battle to where you wish to be. Transformative Coach, Healer and Psychotherapist using all my modalities to meet you where you are.
Liana Yip
Counsellor, MA, MCP, RCC
I understand that life can be challenging, and you don’t have to face it alone. I offer a space to pause, reflect, and reconnect with yourself. Therapy also creates an opportunity for growth and a more meaningful, purposeful life.
Ed Chen M.Ed, RCC-ACS, CCC
Registered Clinical Counsellor, Registered Clinical Supervisor, Canadian Certified Counsellor
Ed is a BCACC registered, CCPA certified clinical counsellor, and a BCACC Approved Clinical Supervisor. Ed has extensive experience in delivering Dialectical Behavior Therapy to high-risk adults, youths and families experiencing concerns such as suicidality, self-harm, impulsivity, depression, anxiety, trauma, and addictions.
Tina Pirvali
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Accepting new clients. I provide virtual therapy across Canada for adults and couples navigating trauma, relationship challenges, communication difficulties, infidelity, codependency, attachment patterns, and life transitions. Using a warm, trauma-informed approach, I help clients strengthen their relationships, reconnect with themselves, and create lasting, meaningful change.
Emma Hartley
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), BA (she, her)
Are you looking for a therapist that knows what it's like to feel lost or overwhelmed and how to find your footing again? Noticing yourself feeling more anxious, "just tired", and craving a space to slow down and reconnect with a sense of meaning or purpose? Trying to make sense of shifts in mood, questioning careers, exploring relationships, parenting and identity, or a major life transition?
Daniel Young
Registered Social Worker
I specialize in counselling for individual men, women, couples and families. I am dedicated to providing high-quality therapeutic care to my clients, utilizing a variety of therapeutic modalities, including talk therapy, Narrative Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and other evidence-based approaches
Brittany Forester
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), HBA, ADHD-CP, CCTP, EMDR
I take a trauma- and culturally-informed approach to supporting ADHD, trauma, stress, anxiety, and couples, and I have a passion for helping people build confidence in themselves. I draw from many frameworks such as EMDR, Narrative, CBT, DBT, IFS, as well as EFT and Gottmans with Couples.
Erika Thebeau
Certified Counsellor
Now accepting new clients! I provide telephone counselling support to individuals in an empathetic and compassionate way. I am here to support you as you navigate life and nurture your own ability to work through difficult circumstances. I am here to listen and understand your needs as we work together to get you back to feeling your best throughout your journey.
Alexa Gelles
Registered Clinical Counsellor
Alexa Gelles is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and the founder of Aligned Relationship Counselling. For over a decade, she has helped individuals and couples navigate relationship challenges, improve communication, and create stronger, healthier connections. Alexa is known for her warm, practical approach and her ability to help clients create meaningful, lasting change.
Leah Dhahan
Registered Clinical Counsellor
Welcome! Are you struggling to set boundaries and speak your truth in relationships? Are you currently experiencing feelings of anxiety, anger, or powerlessness in your life or relationships? Do you find yourself struggling with painful feelings and emotions? Would you like support for childhood trauma? I am here to help…My specialties include support for the following areas: anxiety, depressio...
Debra (Debbie) Airth
Registered Therapeutic Counsellor
Come as you are. Let's begin from there. I support individuals and couples navigating grief, chronic illness, trauma, identity exploration, LGBTQ+ experiences, polyamory/ENM, and life transitions. My approach is warm, trauma-informed, and rooted in genuine human connection, helping you reconnect with your strengths and move forward with greater clarity and self-compassion.
Sandra Daoust
Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC) and Master Practitioner in Clinical Counselling (MPCC-P)
You're not broken, and you don’t need fixing. At your core, you're whole. But life, trauma, loss, stress, and relationships can make you feel fragmented/out of alignment. My work is about helping you remember who you are beneath the layers: sovereign and capable of living an authentic life. My approach is collaborative to your unique lived experience. Healing is not linear, but it is possible.
Deanna Smith
Registered Therapeutic Counsellor
I help people who feel anxious, overwhelmed, or lost in their own life. Maybe you’re tired of holding it all together, reacting in ways you don’t like, or putting everyone else first and losing yourself in the process. I also support couples stuck in the same fight, feeling more like roommates, or scared to be honest.
Therapy Collective
Registered Psychologist/Counselling Therapist/Certified Counsellor
We are a group practice with psychologists, CCC's, CT's, and a therapy dog who offer counselling and formal psycho-educational assessments. We cover a broad range of presenting concerns for children, youth, families, couples, and individuals. We offer a variety of approaches as well: EMDR, Cognitive-Hypnotherapy, Art Therapy, Play-Based Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Attachment-Based, Somatic.
Alexandra Kozikova
Registered Therapeutic Counsellor RTC
I am a client-centered, trauma-informed counsellor who uses evidence-based approaches such as CBT, alongside mindfulness and relaxation techniques. With a compassionate and practical style shaped by both my professional and life experience, I support clients in understanding challenges, building skills, and creating lasting, meaningful change.
Hitomi Yokota (she/her)
Registered Psychotherapist (RP)
I specialize in relationship-based trauma and anxiety. My clients come to me for relationship challenges, Anxious or Avoidant attachment styles, people-pleasing, boundaries, and childhood trauma. I provide somatic therapies, EMDR, and Attachment-based therapy based on your needs.
Amelia Traer
Pre-Licensed Professional, BA, PsiChi
My work is shaped by CBT, ACT, DBT, ERP, and trauma-informed, mindfulness-based approaches. I support clients with anxiety, burnout, OCD and phobias, ADHD, grief, life transitions, women's health, and chronic health concerns. Our therapy space adapts, with a focus on connection, emotional regulation, and practical strategies that fit your life.
Sadaf Khan
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
At Horizon Healing Psychotherapy, we believe that every journey toward growth and healing begins with a safe space and a compassionate guide. Under the thoughtful care of Sadaf, our clinic offers a sanctuary where your story matters, your voice is heard, your experience and your path to well-being are honoured. Welcome to Horizon Healing Psychotherapy, a new horizon of hope and healing awaits you.
Daniela Arrieta Galvan
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
I am passionate about helping people heal from soul wounds created by historical, collective and relational trauma. Many of my clients struggle to find a sense of self & identity, disconnection to themselves & others and childhood & intergenerational trauma. I help them make meaning of their experiences, process emotions, heal wounds and find their way back to themselves.
Renata Roma
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
I offer support for individuals dealing with anxiety, including high-functioning anxiety, OCD, intrusive thoughts, and phobias, including animal-related fears. Many of my clients come in with relationship struggles. I also specialize in pet loss, and anxiety related to pets.
How do therapists in Nanaimo, BC compare?
Number of therapists listed
Average years in practice
Currently accepting new clients
Therapists in Nanaimo, BC who prioritize treating:
How therapists see their clients
Top therapy approaches used in Nanaimo, BC:
Frequently Asked Questions About Anxiety
What is an anxiety disorder?
Anxiety disorders involve persistent, excessive fear or worry that is disproportionate to the situation and significantly interferes with daily life. They are the most common mental health condition in Canada, affecting approximately 1 in 4 Canadians at some point in their lives. Unlike ordinary nervousness, anxiety disorders do not resolve on their own without support.
What types of anxiety disorders does therapy treat?
Therapists treat generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, agoraphobia, health anxiety, and separation anxiety. Each has distinct features — for example, GAD involves pervasive worry across many areas, while panic disorder centres on recurring unexpected panic attacks. A therapist will assess your specific presentation before recommending a treatment approach.
Which therapy approaches are most effective for anxiety?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has the strongest evidence base for anxiety disorders and is widely considered the gold-standard treatment. Other effective approaches include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), exposure-based therapies, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), and EMDR for anxiety rooted in past trauma. Your therapist will tailor the approach to your specific presentation.
Do I need medication to treat anxiety?
Therapy alone — particularly CBT — is highly effective for most anxiety disorders and produces lasting change by addressing underlying thought and behaviour patterns. Some people benefit from combining therapy with medication such as SSRIs or SNRIs, especially when symptoms are severe. This decision is best made in consultation with your therapist and a physician or psychiatrist.
How long does therapy for anxiety typically take?
Most people with anxiety disorders see meaningful improvement within 12–20 weekly sessions of CBT. Specific phobias and panic disorder often respond faster, sometimes within 6–12 sessions. The timeline depends on the severity of your anxiety, any co-occurring conditions, and how consistently you practise skills between sessions.
Related Articles
Canada's Social Media Ban for Teens: What the Science Says
Canada's proposed social media ban (Bill C-34) is in the news. Here's what research says about social media's effects on teen brains and mental health.
Mental Health for Pilots: The "Fit-to-Fly" Concept Used by Transport Canada and Other National Regulators Need to Evolve
Former airline pilot and counsellor Chris Graham examines how Transport Canada's fit-to-fly mental health regulations create barriers that discourage pilots from seeking help for depression and anxiety.
Navigating Back-to-School Season: A Mental Health Guide for Canadian Parents
Learn how to manage your mental health during back-to-school season. Expert tips for Canadian parents dealing with transition stress, anxiety, and maintaining wellness while supporting your children's return to school.