Julie Vacca

I always wanted to be a counsellor and as a teen volunteered on a crisis line, offering a supportive ear to other teens who were struggling. In university I studied Psychology and returned to school ten years later to study Art Therapy. As a lifelong learner, I decided to return to school once more and last year I completed a master's degree in Counselling Psychology. I have worked in the field of mental health and addictions since 2002, and have experience working with victims of sexual violence, individuals with chronic and debilitating mental health, as well as individuals struggling with addiction. Growing up, I used art as a means of expressing hard to express thoughts, feelings, and ideas, so I know firsthand the benefit art can bring to therapy. The best part of art therapy is that you do not need to be good at art for it to be beneficial! I have always had a keen interest in better understanding myself as well as others; as such, I have a strong reflective practice allowing me to provide the best service I can offer. In addition to art therapy, I am trained in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), a unique approach to psychotherapy that guides the client to replace the negative images in the mind that cause the symptoms of post-traumatic stress with positive images of the client’s choosing. This therapy has been found to be very effective for treating phobias and PTSD with results happening in as few as three sessions! In general, I use a strength-based, person centred approach to counselling. This means I work with you where you are at. Together, we collaborate to set small, achievable, meaningful goals using strengths you already possess, to assist in creating the life you aspire to live. I believe you are the expert of your own life. I am here to help you clarify and gain confidence in what you already know.