READY FOR CHANGE?
LET’S TURN YOUR STORM INTO A STORY OF STRENGTH
Counselling in Victoria, BC
Victoria Chivilo
Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC)
Accepting new individuals for counselling in Victoria, BC & online
Areas of focus
adults navigating:
Anxiety & depression
Burnout, stress & overwhelm
Perfectionism & self-criticism
Self-esteem & self-worth challenges
Relational, developmental, or complex trauma
Relationship difficulties & attachment patterns
Boundaries & people-pleasing
Life transitions & major changes
Grief & losS
“I’ll meet you with warmth, curiosity, and zero judgment. Together we’ll go at a pace that feels safe for your nervous system, helping you make sense of what you’re carrying and build steadier footing in your life. You don’t have to do this alone.”
Individual Counselling: $165 per session Sliding scale rates & Extended Health Plan coverage may be available.
Victoria’s Approach to Counselling:
I take a compassionate, client-centered, and collaborative approach to therapy, grounded in the belief that our struggles often make sense in the context of our unique life experiences, relationships, and the broader systems we navigate. My goal is to help you build greater self-awareness, resilience, and connection as you move toward the life you want.
My work is grounded in a humanistic, person-centred approach, with training in Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT), and I integrate evidence-based approaches such as CBT, ACT, and DBT, along with trauma-informed parts work. I see clients as active partners in the therapeutic process and strive to integrate these approaches to support meaningful emotional processing while keeping the work safe, paced, and manageable.
Together, we explore emotional experiences, uncover relational and personal patterns, and develop insight into how past experiences shape present challenges. At the same time, we focus on practical ways to respond that feel aligned and sustainable in daily life. My approach balances depth with structure, creating a space that is grounded, supportive, and authentic. Therapy can be serious work—but it can also leave room for humour, connection, and humanity along the way.
My Story
I came to counselling through a deep curiosity about people - their emotional worlds, relationships, and how life experiences shape the way we see ourselves and move through the world.
Over the past 10 years, I’ve worked with adults and youth navigating anxiety and depression, self-esteem concerns, complex and acute traumas across the lifespan, relationship challenges, maladaptive coping strategies (such as substance use & addiction), life transitions and grief, and recovery from difficult experiences. Being alongside people in these moments has shaped how I understand change: growth doesn’t come from being “fixed,” but from being met with care, understanding, and the space to make sense of your own story.
My work is also informed by my own experiences. At times, I coped by pushing through and holding a lot internally. While these patterns helped me get by, they also came with a cost. Through my own growth and personal counselling, I’ve learned the value of slowing down, listening to my emotions, and finding sustainable ways of relating to myself and others perspectives I bring into my therapeutic approach with empathy and humility.
I take a person-centered and anti-oppressive approach, believing that each person is the expert in their own experience and that struggles are often shaped by broader systems and relationships. My role is to walk alongside you, supporting exploration, insight, and reconnection with your strengths and voice.
My therapeutic style is warm, thoughtful, and collaborative. I aim to create a safe, authentic space for meaningful growth, while leaving room for humour and human connection along the way.
Education & Training
Masters of Education in Counselling Psychology, University of Northern British
Columbia (UNBC)
Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) Essentials Certification,
International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy
(ICEEFT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT),
and Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) trainings
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional Level 1 & 2 (CCTP-I and CCTP-II) and
other trauma-informed parts work trainings
San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training
Professional Memberships & Affiliations
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), Certified
Canadian Counsellor (CCC) #11264030