About Vania
I’m Vania, a counsellor, speaker and advocate based in Melbourne, and my work is deeply personal to me.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to people’s stories, especially those marked by pain, resilience, and the search for healing. My own journey through significant childhood trauma has shaped not only who I am, but the way I sit with others in their most difficult moments. I understand what it is to feel overwhelmed, to carry things quietly, and to slowly find your way back to yourself.
That lived experience, alongside my professional training, is part of what led me into counselling. I wanted to create the kind of space I once needed, safe, steady, and free from judgement, where people can breathe again, make sense of their experiences, and begin to rebuild.
Alongside my counselling work, I co-founded Salvador’s HOPE with my husband, Chris, in response to the deep needs we saw among women and girls in El Salvador. Over time, this work has grown into advocacy and initiatives focused on safety, dignity, and restoration in communities impacted by violence and poverty.
I also serve as a Survivors Ambassador with International Justice Mission for El Salvador, where I have the privilege of standing alongside survivors and helping amplify their voices as part of a global movement for justice and protection.
At the heart of everything I do is a simple belief, healing is possible. And when people are met with safety, compassion, and understanding, something begins to shift.
That’s the space I hold in counselling, advocacy, and in the quiet work of rebuilding hope.
