Senior Counsellor

Mia Maarika is a counsellor with over 30 years of experience supporting individuals on their journey toward healing and self-discovery. She holds a degree in Psychiatric/Medical Nursing and a Diploma in Counselling, and has trained extensively under the mentorship of a Registered Clinical Counsellor with over three decades of expertise in family systems therapy, childhood trauma, attachment theory, and relationship counselling.

Mia’s goal is to create a safe, supportive environment where clients can explore and better understand themselves—even when that exploration feels challenging. She believes growth often requires stepping outside of one’s comfort zone, and that feeling safe and supported makes meaningful change possible. Her approach focuses on strengthening inner resources, developing healthy boundaries, addressing anxiety and depression, building self-esteem, practicing assertiveness, and exploring parts of the self that may have been hidden or neglected.

With a deep interest in how early experiences and core beliefs shape the way we move through the world, Mia helps clients increase self-awareness, interrupt unhelpful patterns, and shift from survival mode to living with empowerment and choice. She brings a rich personal and professional background to her work, including her early career in nursing, her own journey of recovery from eating disorders and codependency, and her decades of service in community mental health—most notably as a volunteer coordinator at Nanaimo Family Life Association and later as a counsellor at NARSF, supporting families and neurodivergent youth in the Eating Disorder and Sexual Assault Intervention Programs.

Mia is deeply passionate about providing compassionate, trauma-informed support that honours each client’s unique path toward a more fulfilling and authentic life.

Ages Served: Ages 12 +

Support Topics Abuse (childhood abuse, domestic abuse, sexual abuse) Adapting to lifestyle changes and aging Addressing loneliness and isolation Addictions (drug and/or alcohol) Anger management Anxiety Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Authentic Self-Discovery: Unmasking Who You Truly Are Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Bereavement Body image issues Body positivity Building resilience in later life Chronic impulsivity Co-dependency Complex Trauma / C-PTSD Coping skills Coping with health changes Depression Discovering Purpose and Meaning in Life Dissociative disorders Divorce and separation Domestic violence Eating disorders / Maladaptive eating Emotional disturbances Emotional turmoil Facing end-of-life issues Family conflict Family dynamics Family of origin issues First responders’ mental health Gambling Gender identity Grief Impulse control disorders Infidelity Intergenerational Trauma Internet addiction Life management issues Life transitions Loss Managing grief and bereavement Marital discord Meditation Mood disorders Navigating family and caregiver relationships Non-ordinary experience integration (e.g., spiritual, extraordinary experiences) Obesity Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Parenting children with special needs Parenting education Parenting issues (including child-rearing and education) Parent-teen mediation Peer relationships Rehabilitation from trauma Relationship and marriage conflict School issues Self-esteem issues Sexual abuse Sexual behaviours Sexuality (2SLGBTQIA+ inclusive) Sleep issues or insomnia Spirituality (non-emergency spiritual issues) Stress management Suicidal ideation Trauma and PTSD Transgender transition issues Transitioning into retirement Video game addiction Youth Mental Health 2SLGBTQIA+ challenges

Therapeutic Approaches Attachment Theory Complex Trauma Therapy Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) Narrative Therapy Person-Centered Therapy (PCT) Self-Compassion Therapy Somatic Therapy Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

Senior Counsellor Mia Maarika is a counsellor with over 30 years of experience supporting indivi... Read More

Associate Counsellor

Dave Leitao is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in Nanaimo and PhD candidate in Psychology at Meridian University. He works with individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, identity crises, and major life transitions. Dave helps clients uncover meaning during times of change, integrate unconscious material through shadow work, and build resilience with creative and integrative approaches.

Drawing from transpersonal, imaginal, integral, and mindfulness-based approaches, Dave offers a creative, holistic style that may include dialogue, art, and music. His experience includes over 300 direct client hours, 100+ hours of supervision, and more than 600 practicum hours in individual and group settings.

Dave holds an MA in Psychology and a Diploma in Transpersonal Counselling. He continues his doctoral research on resistance to change and developmental thresholds while engaging in ongoing professional development in trauma-informed care, mindfulness, and integral theory.

Ages Served: Ages 12 +

Support Topics

Adapting to lifestyle changes and aging Addressing loneliness and isolation Anxiety Authentic Self-Discovery: Unmasking Who You Truly Are Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Borderline personality disorder Complex Trauma / C-PTSD Depression Family conflict Family dynamics Family of origin issues Life transitions Non-ordinary experience integration (e.g., spiritual, extraordinary experiences) Relationship and marriage conflict Self-esteem issues Spirituality (non-emergency spiritual issues) Trauma and PTSD 2SLGBTQIA+ challenges

Therapeutic Approaches Attachment Theory Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Expressive Therapy Narrative Therapy Person-Centered Therapy (PCT) Psychodynamic Approach Self-Compassion Therapy Somatic Therapy

Associate Counsellor Dave Leitao is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in Nanaimo and PhD ca... Read More