About Venessa
Specialties: Sex therapy, trauma, complex trauma, PTSD, Complex PTSD, substance use, sexual health.
Sex therapy is a highly specialized form of psychotherapy that includes advanced education and training both in psychotherapy and sexual medicine. Sex therapy includes educating people about sexual development as well as providing medically based sexual health information. Venessa is one of three individuals in Edmonton who is qualified to provide sex therapy supervision (AASECT) and is one of a handful of people in Alberta who are AASECT-certified sex therapists.
Areas of interest include: Sex therapy, Sexual trauma recovery, anxiety, ADHD, neurodiversity, couples counselling, life transitions (including menopause, divorce, prenatal and postnatal concerns, parenting challenges), body image, self-esteem, shame, identity development, intergenerational trauma, decolonization, sexual health concerns (low desire, desire discrepancy, ED, vaginismus, dyspareunia, vulvodynia ) new relationships, consensual non-monogamy, Out of Control Sexual Behaviors (“Sex Addiction”) as well as polyamory and kink friendly
About Venessa: Venessa graduated from UW-Whitewater with an MSc in Community Counselling in 2009 and has been in private practice in the US since 2012. She has post-graduate training in Trauma Recovery and Substance Abuse. She also completed the Sexual Health Certificate Program at the University of Michigan.
Venessa is an AASECT-certified sex therapist with a wealth of clinical experience. Venessa is a Registered Provisional Psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists working toward full registration. She is a Licensed Professional Counsellor in the State of Wisconsin, and she is also a Canadian Certified Counsellor. Venessa has completed Level II in the Developmental Model of Couples’ Counselling, she has completed Level II training in EMDR, and she has training in Music Imagery.
Growing up in an isolated northern community in Saskatchewan, Venessa learned at an early age (remove to) about social justice, and she began her journey as an advocate for marginalized people at a young age. She observed how kind, caring, and nonjudgmental her maternal grandmother and mother responded to individuals in her community who came to them for guidance.
It was at that kitchen table that Venessa’ s career in mental health began. Venessa became keenly interested in how people use tools to survive, especially music, humor, and movement. This interest led her to explore a degree in Music Education, and she further explored her interest in music and psychotherapy by seeking training in Music Therapy and then subsequently obtaining her Master’s in Community Counselling. It is the combination of music and psychotherapy that makes Venessa’s approach to therapy unique.
She uses foundations of clinical theory such as attachment and sexual development in a kind, compassionate and collaborative way, while also incorporating creative ways to connect and build the therapeutic relationship. This approach draws on the decolonial perspective that operates from a client-centered, non-pathologizing, and wholistic viewpoint. Venessa’s goal is to help people understand their survival responses and develop healthier ways to manage their reactions. In her mind, therapy is not just about helping people to survive, but ultimately helping them to thrive.
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