Van Vu
Registered Social Worker
Canadian Certified Addiction Counsellor
Session Types: Online
Clients:
Individuals (Adults, Teens, and Children)
Couples & Families
Specialities:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) & Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Somatic Integration
More About Van
Known for her warmth and ability to connect with clients, Van supports couples by providing them with tools to improve communication, change negative interaction patterns, repair past hurts, and revitalize emotional and physical intimacy.
Van offers a flexible therapeutic approach that is client-centred and collaborative. She takes a compassionate and thoughtful approach to ensure that she understands your concerns and your hopes for therapy. Van’s therapeutic style is well-paced, warm, and caring. She uses a dynamic combination of evidence-based treatment approaches and incorporates practical and experiential treatment activities to support positive treatment outcomes.
Van’s practice interests also include the treatment of emotional disorders, trauma and addiction, grief and loss, and supporting families experiencing high conflict separation/divorce.
Van has completed training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Somatic Interventions, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Solution Focused and Narrative Therapy, Family Systems Therapy and IFS informed, and Sex Therapy.
In Van’s Words
Often times when we struggle, we think or feel that there must be something less than or wrong with us. I truly believe that our struggle presents us with opportunities to move towards a life path that is more meaningful and one that we are meant to have. I look forward to supporting you through this part of your life journey!
Education
• BA of Psychology
• Master of Social Work (MSW)
Relevant Facts
• Certified in Trauma Counselling, Addiction Treatment, and Sex Therapy
• Member of the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy and the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CCACF)
• Supervises other clinicians and has been designing & delivering curriculum at McMaster University for over a decade
Irrelevant Facts
• As a family, we love outdoor activities and have enjoyed camping at many of Ontario’s parks
• Friends would describe us as “foodies” and we are so grateful that Mike (my partner) is a fantastic cook!
• We love to travel when we can!
Q&A
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After graduating from McMaster University in 1994 with an Honours BA in Psychology, I worked as a Probation Officer. Initially I worked in the Guelph area then later transferred to Hamilton. Following 10 years of service, I noticed that I while I was drawn to learning about peoples’ life journey and life challenges, I felt ill equipped at the time to be able to support them in a meaningful way. One day I realized that I didn’t want to refer people out to other counselling services; but instead, I wanted to learn how to facilitate therapy. This passion led me to return to school as a mature student (with two babies in tow) and I completed my Master’s in Social Work (MSW) at Wilfrid Laurier.
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My practicum placement during graduate school provided an opportunity to train as a family therapist and my interest in working with couples naturally evolved out of family work...I also tend to think systemically/relationally and adopt a more holistic approach to understanding issues.
Areas of Focus
ADHD / Attention Issues
Academic Stress
Acculturation Stress
Addictions (e.g., Alcohol, Drugs)
Adoption / Surrogacy
Anger Management
Anxiety
Assertiveness Training
Attachment Issues
Blended Families
Breakups / Heartbreak
Career Stress / Burnout
Caregiver Stress
Child Behavioral Concerns
Co-Parenting
Codependency
Communication Skills
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
Creativity Blocks
Depression
Disordered Eating / Emotional Eating
Dissociation / Dissociative Disorders
Divorce / Separation
Emotional Abuse
Empty Nest Syndrome
Estrangement
Existential Concerns
Family Conflict
Financial Stress / Money Worries
Friendships / Social Issues
Grief and Loss
Health Anxiety / Hypochondria
Identity & Values Clarification
Identity Development
Identity Exploration
Immigration / Refugee Experiences
Imposter Syndrome
Infidelity / Trust Issues
Intercultural Relationships
Jealousy / Insecurity
Kink-Aware Therapy
Learning Disabilities
Legal Involvement (e.g., court-mandated therapy)
Life Transitions
Low Libido / Sexual Dysfunction
Marginalization / Minority Stress
Medical Trauma
Midlife Crisis
Miscarriage / Stillbirth
Motivation / Goal Setting
New Parents / Postpartum Adjustment
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Panic Attacks / Panic Disorder
Parent-Child Relationship
Parenting Challenges
Peer Pressure / Bullying
Perfectionism
Personality Disorders (e.g., BPD, NPD, ASPD)
Polyamory / Open Relationships
Pornography Addiction
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Problem Gambling
Procrastination
Quarter-Life Crisis
Racial Identity / Discrimination
Relationship Conflict
Religious Trauma
Relocation / Immigration Stress
Retirement Adjustment
Safety Planning
School Issues
Self-Compassion
Self-Esteem / Confidence
Self-Harm in Teens
Sex Addiction
Sexual Issues / Intimacy
Shame / Guilt
Shopping / Spending Issues
Sibling Issues
Single Parenting
Sleep Disorders
Sleep Issues / Insomnia
Smoking Cessation
Social Skills
Spirituality & Faith Struggles
Suicidal Thoughts / Self-Harm
Systemic Oppression
Technology / Screen Addiction
Transition to Adulthood
Trauma
Work-Life Balance
Workplace Harassment / Discrimination
Not sure which therapist is right for you, or where to start? Check out our article on how to choose the right therapist for some quick guidance, or use our contact form and click “Match Me”.