Vania Pagniello

In a fast-paced world, many of us juggle multiple responsibilities and live within social structures that can lead to feeling overwhelmed, burnt-out, ashamed and unworthy, disconnected, and easily agitated. Maybe life has become harder after a specific change in your support system. Maybe life was always difficult, but you felt you had to just grin and bear it because you needed to take care of everyone else first.

Choosing to look for a therapist can be one of many steps to support your mental wellbeing. I am here to provide a space to help you make sense of what is happening.

I am an MSW student providing support to individuals in Ontario. My session rate reflects both my status as a qualifying social worker and my commitment to accessible therapeutic support. I am white with Italian ancestry – I live with ADHD and am part of the 2SLGBTQI+ community. My demeanor is playful, warm, curious, and present.

My practice is neuro-affirming, 2SLGBTQ+ affirming, and poly-affirming, and kink friendly. I support adults navigating neurodiversity, depressive symptoms, anxiety, relationship challenges, break-ups, and identity-based or gender-based issues. I believe that everyone’s pain is unique and therefore healing is unique as well. There is no one-size-fits-all approach; I work collaboratively with you to develop your goals and the metrics to assess if you are meeting them.

I use elements of somatic and creative therapies, Internal Family Systems, Narrative Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I tailor these modalities to help you increase self- awareness and take value-aligned actions, creating patterns rooted in self-care.

I work from an intersectional feminist lens, which means I try to understand how social systems of oppression and privilege shape life experiences. Practicing from an intersectional feminist lens means I recognize that social structures create repetitive sexist, racist, homophobic, and/or transphobic experiences for people, leading to chronic stress and, at times, symptoms of PTSD.

Practicing in the helping profession also means recognizing that doctors, psychiatrists, social workers, and therapists may have dismissed or triggered symptoms related to experiences of oppression. In my practice, I seek to understand, validate, and affirm my clients’ experiences. Moreover, I am committed to creating an open dialogue between us, which involves receiving feedback or addressing hurt feelings regarding any of my behaviours that may activate you in session.

If you are curious about my work, I provide a free 15-minute video call so I can learn more about you and answer any questions you may have!