About Us
We are a team of Master’s-level Registered Social Workers and Registered Clinical Counsellors providing neuroscience-informed trauma therapy to clients across British Columbia. As a private practice, we offer individual, couples, and family therapy online by phone or video.
Our approach to trauma therapy is grounded in neuroscience and an understanding of how trauma impacts the brain, nervous system, and body. Traumatic experiences can lead to structural and physiological changes in the nervous system, shaping how individuals respond to stress, relationships, and daily life. By integrating this knowledge, we work beyond talk therapy alone, using somatic and body-based approaches that support nervous system regulation, safety, and long-term healing.
Many of our clients seek support for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD), often stemming from chronic stress, developmental trauma, or relational wounds. We work with adults, youth, and children, offering developmentally appropriate, compassionate care that honours each client’s lived experience and capacity for healing.
From the Founder
VTTC was founded out of a deep recognition that traditional talk therapy alone is often insufficient for individuals with significant trauma histories. My clinical approach has been shaped by extensive professional experience and formal training. I hold a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and a Master of Clinical Social Work (MSW), and I have worked in diverse settings, including school boards, hospitals (including psychiatric emergency), private practice, with individuals affected by traumatic brain injuries, and with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Sudan during the war, assisting individuals affected by conflict, displacement, and chronic trauma.
Through knowledge of neuroscience and trauma-focused modalities, I came to understand how trauma alters the physical structures and functioning of the brain and nervous system - particularly the areas responsible for threat detection, fight-or-flight responses, and emotional regulation. The good news is that, through targeted, bottom-up approaches, the brain and nervous system can reorganize and repair, allowing individuals to restore regulation and resilience.
When the nervous system remains in survival mode, access to the prefrontal cortex - the part of the brain used in approaches like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) - can be limited or unavailable. For many trauma survivors, healing requires a bottom-up approach that begins with the body and nervous system, rather than solely with thoughts and language.
Influenced by the work of Dr. Peter Levine and Somatic Experiencing, VTTC prioritizes approaches that support nervous system regulation, restore a sense of safety, and allow traumatic responses to resolve at their source. This work is especially critical for individuals living with PTSD and complex PTSD (C-PTSD), where trauma has been chronic, relational, or developmental in nature.
VTTC was also created in response to gaps in trauma-specific services in Victoria and across British Columbia. Our goal is to offer accessible, evidence-informed trauma therapy that goes beyond symptom management and supports meaningful, long-term healing.
— Savannah Finnessey, MSW, BSW, RSW
Our Values
Safety
Prioritizing emotional, psychological, and physical safety for every client.
Compassion
Offering empathy, warmth, and nonjudgmental support throughout the healing process.
Integrity
Acting ethically, transparently, and reliably in all therapeutic interactions.
Empowerment
Fostering personal agency and supporting clients in reclaiming control over their lives.