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Carola Lopes de Souza
Counsellor
Clinical counsellor and social worker with extensive experience working with individuals and families struggling with mental ill-health and problematic alcohol or substance use.
I specialise in:
About me
Are you going through a period of change, feeling overwhelmed or disconnected, or noticing that the ways you have been managing life no longer seem to fit?
Perhaps you are navigating mental health or substance-use concerns, struggling with sleep, adjusting to retirement or another significant life transition, or finding your way as an expat or digital nomad. You may appear to be functioning well on the outside while feeling uncertain, depleted, or disconnected on the inside.
With more than 20 years of experience supporting individuals and families from all walks of life, I offer collaborative, individualized support grounded in the belief that there is no single right way to grow or heal. Together, we explore what genuinely fits you, drawing on therapeutic approaches, tools, and strategies that respond to your needs, values, and circumstances. Our work is intended to help you move toward a way of living that feels more grounded, more connected, and more authentically your own.
I offer a warm, curious, and non-judgmental space where we can slow things down, make sense of what you are experiencing, and identify meaningful and sustainable ways forward.
I speak:
Location:
Approach
My background as a clinical counsellor and social worker, together with my commitment to holistic, trauma-informed, integrative, and person-centred care, allows me to consider the whole picture—not only your thoughts and emotions, but also your relationships, circumstances, environment, body, habits, and the wider systems in which you live.
If you are navigating a complex transition, feeling exhausted or unsure of how to move forward, or experiencing difficulties that do not fit neatly into a single diagnostic category, therapy can offer a place to pause and make sense of what is happening. Together, we can explore recurring behavioural and relational patterns, understand what may be driving them, and consider why your usual ways of moving through life may no longer be serving you.
Our work can also help you reconnect with your inner wisdom, existing strengths, and practices that nourish your mind, body, and whole self. We will explore not only what you are ready to leave behind, but also what you want to move toward.
We may be a particularly good fit if you are looking for thoughtful, collaborative support and recognize that meaningful, sustainable change often takes time and patience. I offer support in the following areas:
Mental Health and Substance Use
Support when mental health and alcohol or substance-use concerns overlap and intensify one another. I also offer support to partners, family members, and loved ones affected by another person’s substance use or addiction.
Sleep and Insomnia
Practical, individualized support for persistent sleep difficulties, drawing on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), while also considering stress, daily rhythms, habits, and the wider context of your life.
Life Transitions, Including Retirement
Support when an important chapter is ending or changing—including retirement, shifts in roles or identity, relocation, and questions about what you want the next chapter of your life to look like.
Expat and Digital-Nomad Life
A space to explore the opportunities and challenges of building a life across cultures, countries, and communities, informed by my own three decades of experience with immigration, expat life, and nomadic living.
Integrative Mental Health
Exploring mental health through a broader lens that may include sleep, nutrition, movement, relationships, daily rhythms, and meaningful rituals alongside counselling. When medication changes or tapering are being considered, our work can complement—not replace—the medical guidance and monitoring provided by your prescribing healthcare professional.
If this approach resonates with you, I invite you to book a free 20-minute meet-and-greet or send me a message. I look forward to connecting with you.
Experience
2028-current: Santosha Counselling Practice, Vancouver, BC, Canada 2023-2024: Mental Health Social Worker, Providence Healthcare, Vancouver, Canada 2018-current: Employee Assistance Counsellor & Coach, Uprise, Australia 2016-2017: HOPE Rehab Thailand; residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation center 2008-2016 & 2018-2020: Concurrent Disorders Counsellor, Vancouver Coastal Health 2010-2013: Part-time private practice, Stewart & Associates 1999-2008: Child Protection and Family Services Social Worker, Ministry of Children and Family Development, Vancouver, BC
Education
2007 MA in Counselling Psychology, Adler University, Chicago, USA 2002 Bachelor of Social Work, University of Victoria, Canada
Additional certification and/or training in: Concurrent Disorders Yoga Teacher Training Interpersonal Psychotherapy Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Mindfulness (MBCT) Attachment Emotion Freedom Technique (tapping) Cognitive Processing Therapy Motivational Interviewing Trauma
Services
Intro Call
Individual Session
Insurances
