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Vilayvanh (pronounced vill-luh-VUN; he, him pronouns)

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  • Over 14 years of counselling experience

  • Over 4 years of experience working with youth

  • Queer, trans.  non-binary, Vietnamese and Laotian

  • Offers individual & relationship therapy to youth (15 years+) and adults

  • Offers hormone readiness & surgery readiness assessments for adults

  • Immigrant and settler on unceded, ancestral and traditional Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw), Tsleil-Waututh (sÉ™lÌ“ilwÌ“É™taʔɬ), Musqueam (xÊ·mÉ™θkÊ·É™yÌ“É™m) and other Coast Salish territories, colonially known as Vancouver, BC, Canada

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Ideally we would work as a team to help you make the changes you want. I can go beyond deep listening to offer new skills or tools to improve your mood, reduce stress or negativity, and/or improve your relationships. My approaches are grounded in compassion, respect, non-judgment, anti-oppression and anti-racism, including a lived understanding of intersectional identities.

More About Me

I have worked in non-profit, private and health settings, including for a Coast Salish nation, rape crisis centre, in community mental health and as a youth counsellor.  I've assisted queer, Two Spirit, trans, non-binary and gender expansive folks, Indigenous people, and adults with substance use issues, persistent mental health issues, and/or street-involvement, including sex work. It is an honour and a privilege to do this valuable, meaningful, heart-centred work.

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My work is informed by being neurodivergent with disabilities, having experienced my own mental health challenges and my own ongoing journey as a client. My healing path has also involved connecting with nature, meditation, mindfulness and other spiritual and ancestral practices.

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I value ongoing professional and personal growth. See below for a list of completed specialized trainings. I have also taken many workshops and groups as a participant, such as assertiveness, mindful self-compassion and non-violent communication. Some favourite personal activities are swimming, gardening, and spending time with friends and loved ones. Some of the things I care about are building relationships and community; mutual aid and community care; respect and care for other beings and the earth; racial, economic, disability justice and other forms of justice, and collective liberation.

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Education and Credentials

  • Registered Clinical Counsellor with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors #3329

  • Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, University of Victoria

  • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Simon Fraser University

Areas of Practice and Approaches
 

Some of the concerns that I assist clients with are below. This is not a complete list and feel free to contact me if you have any questions or want more information:

  • Adoption

  • Anger management

  • Anxiety, Depression and mental wellness

  • Assertiveness, health boundaries and communication

  • Disabilities, chronic illness and pain

  • Gender identity and transition

  • Grief and loss

  • Life transitions

  • Neurodivergence

  • Relationship and interpersonal issues

  • Sexual orientation and sexuality

  • Trauma and abuse, including sexual and partner violence

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My approaches and specialized trainings (indicated by teaching organization and duration):

  • Eye Movement, Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

    • by Dr. Marshal Wilensky and BC School of Professional Psychology:  3-day training

  • Indigenous Focusing-Oriented Therapy and Complex Trauma (IFOT)

  • Emotionally-Focused Therapy for couples/relationship partners (EFT)

    • by Vancouver Couple and Family Institute:  3-day training

  • Emotionally-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT)

    • by International Institute for EFFT:  4-day training

  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Level 2

    • by DBT Centre of Vancouver and Fraser Health Authority: 24 hours of training over 8 weeks

  • Anti-Oppression Psychotherapy

    • by Continuing Healing Consultants:  4-day training

  • Hormone Readiness and Surgery Readiness Assessments (HRA and SRA)

    • by Matsui de Roo, RCC:  12 hours total

  • Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

  • Mindfulness and meditation

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Clients of all racial, ethnic, sexual and cultural backgrounds are welcome. I may prioritize racialized folks and equity-denied folks, including but not limited to:

  • Youth 15 years and older, adults and relationship partners

  • 2STGD - Two Spirit, non-binary, trans, intersex, genderqueer, gender expansive, etc.

  • LGBTQIA+, including non-monogamous, polyamorous and kinky - queer, bisexual, lesbian, gay, questioning, intersex, asexual, aromantic and people who don't label themselves

  • BIMPOC - Black, Indigenous, Multi-ethnic, People of Colour/Global majority, including 2SQTBIMPOC (queer & gender expansive BIMPOC)

  • Neurodivergent - e.g. autistic, ADHD, AuDHD (both autism and ADHD), self-diagnosed and/or  neurodivergent in other ways

  • All bodies and body sizes - As a person with thin privilege, I am committed to ongoing learning, striving to resist fat phobia, and supporting body positivity.

  • People with disabilities, chronic pain and/or illness

Contact

Want to contact me for a free 15 min. consultation? Let's connect.

vscounselling [at] proton.me

778.379.9803 (work land line)

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