Joonas Vehvilainen

I am originally from Finland but have also lived in Thailand, USA and the UK. I am currently living in Helsinki, Finland. In 2014 I completed my Undergraduate Degree in psychology at the University of York, which covered several fields such as social psychology, mental health disorders and addiction. To further pursue my passion for studying human behaviour I completed a Master’s Degree in neuroscience at King’s College London in 2015, which specialised in the behaviour behind addiction and mental health. To convert the extensive knowledge I gained into more practical experience, I went on to work in various London-based jobs including being a healthcare assistant in a mental health unit and a support worker in supported accommodations from 2016 to 2019. Witnessing the struggles I saw in this work, it motivated me to study addiction psychology and counselling at London South Bank University (LSBU), while working part time as a counsellor for the NHS, Humankind and WDP from 2019 to 2021. These two years contributed to solidify my knowledge of counselling and how best to support clients suffering from the different aspects of addiction and mental health. As a result of completing this degree, I became certified as a member of British Association of Counselling Practitioners (BACP) and Addiction Professionals in 2021. I then became accredited by BACP in 2025. I have been working as a counsellor for over 5 years now. I have had my own practice since 2022 and have also done work for Castle Craig Hospital as an addictions therapist in that time. I currently focus on addiction, trauma and other complex mental health issues in Finnish and English using solution focused methods.