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Vancouver Island Holistic Counselling

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Nanaimo, BC
Vancouver Island Holistic Counselling

Vancouver Island Holistic Counselling offers therapy and coaching services online or in person.

Veronique Rioux is a Therapeutic Transpersonal Counsellor and owner of Choose2be Health and Fitness.

07/09/2025

🌿 Where in your life do you feel truly secure?
Is it in your partner’s steady presence?
The friend who always picks up the phone?
That one family member who really gets you?
Maybe it’s in your own growing sense of self.

We all long to feel safe, connected, and seen. This is the essence of secure attachment — a deep, inner knowing that you’re loved, valued, and accepted not for what you do, but for who you are. 💛

When we have secure relationships, we’re not walking on eggshells.
We can ask for what we need without fear.
We can say no without guilt.
We can trust that love won’t disappear when things get hard.

But for many of us, especially if we grew up around chaos, criticism, or emotional distance, that kind of safety can feel unfamiliar — even foreign. 💔
It doesn’t mean we’re broken. It means we learned to survive without secure attachment. And healing is still possible.

At Vancouver Island Holistic Counselling, we support individuals and couples in understanding their attachment styles, healing relationship wounds, and creating the kinds of bonds that feel steady, nourishing, and real. 🌱

Whether you’re working through old pain, rebuilding after betrayal, navigating conflict, or simply longing for more emotional depth — you don’t have to do it alone.

✨ You deserve to feel safe in love. Safe in your body. Safe in yourself.
Let’s explore what security can look like for you.

💬 Book a session today or learn more at:
👉 VancouverIslandHolisticCounselling.ca

💛🌿

06/13/2025

🌿 REAL DOPAMINE isn’t from doom-scrolling or sugar hits — it’s from showing up for yourself in ways that truly nourish your nervous system.

Real dopamine is built by:
✨ Moving your body
✨ Connecting deeply with others
✨ Completing the hard things
✨ Creating routines that ground you
✨ Practicing presence over distraction
✨ Healing, not just coping

Ask yourself: What do you do that fills you up from the inside out? 💭
What brings you peace, clarity, and a sense of purpose?

🌀 If you’re ready to rewire for deeper fulfillment and sustainable change, I’m accepting new therapy clients — both in-person in Nanaimo and online over Zoom.

🌱 Covered by most extended benefits under Vancouver Island Holistic Counselling.ca

🔗 Visit www.vancouverislandholisticcounselling.ca to book or learn more.

💚

06/02/2025

🌿 Your Nervous System Matters 🌿

Have you ever found yourself reacting before you even had time to think—snapping, shutting down, or feeling completely overwhelmed? That’s your nervous system in action. When it’s dysregulated, it can throw us into fight, flight, freeze, or fawn before we know what’s happening.

🧠 Nervous system regulation is the foundation for emotional balance, healthier relationships, and more resilient responses to life’s challenges. The more regulated your system is, the more capacity you have to stay grounded, to respond rather than react, and to co-regulate with others—especially the people you care about.

✨ Co-regulation—feeling safe and seen in connection with someone else—is a powerful part of healing. Whether it’s through therapy, friendship, or caregiving, our nervous systems are wired for connection.

💛 If you’re feeling stuck in survival mode, please know: support is available and healing is possible.

📣 I’m currently accepting new clients at VancouverIslandHolisticCounseling.ca. My services are covered by most benefit providers. If you don’t have coverage, I offer slice-and-scale pricing—because I believe everyone deserves access to support. 💬

Let’s work together to help your nervous system feel safe, steady, and supported. 🌿

🧘‍♀️💬🧠🌊

05/27/2025

🧠 What is Dopamine & Why Does It Matter? 💥

Dopamine is a feel-good neurotransmitter — your brain’s natural reward chemical. It plays a key role in motivation, pleasure, focus, and learning. But not all dopamine hits are created equal…

✨ Positive Ways to Boost Dopamine:
• Exercise 🏃‍♀️
• Meditation 🧘‍♂️
• Healthy eating 🍓
• Accomplishing goals ✅
• Meaningful social connection 🤝
• Creative expression 🎨
• Restorative sleep 😴

⚠️ Negative Dopamine Triggers (short-term highs, long-term lows):
• Excessive social media scrolling 📱
• Junk food binges 🍔
• Gambling 🎰
• Substance misuse 💊
• Overstimulation without rest 😵

Balanced dopamine habits help you feel energized, grounded, and mentally resilient. 🌿

🔍 Want to dive deeper into how your brain chemistry affects your wellbeing?

➡️ Visit VancouverIslandHolisticCounselling.ca for guidance on creating a life that supports your whole self — mind, body, and soul.

🌱✨

05/21/2025

You are not broken.
I’ve worked with so many clients who came to me believing they needed to be “fixed.”

But here’s the truth:
We are not broken.
We are healing.

Yes, many of us carry wounds. We have scars—emotional, mental, even physical—but that doesn’t mean we’re beyond repair. It means we’ve lived, and we’re still here.

Healing isn’t linear. Growth isn’t perfect. And perfection? It’s not the goal—happiness is.
Embrace your uniqueness. Your story is your strength.
You are imperfectly perfect, and that is more than enough. 💛

✨ If you’re on your healing journey and looking for support, I’m here.
📍Serving Vancouver Island + virtual options.
💻 VancouverIslandHolisticCounseling.ca

⸻

💫💛🌿

05/15/2025

Your nervous system wasn’t built for constant crisis.

So many of us are living in fight-or-flight without even realizing it. We’ve adapted to chronic stress, anxiety, and overthinking like it’s normal—but it’s not. Our bodies are on high alert, even when there’s no real danger, and over time, that takes a toll.

We were never taught how to cope, just to push through. But coping isn’t about numbing out or powering through—it’s about learning how to regulate.

👉 What are your go-to coping mechanisms?
👉 Do they actually help you feel safe and grounded?

The good news is: you can teach your nervous system how to relax. Through breathwork, movement, mindfulness, connection, rest—and even just awareness—you can start to shift.

You don’t have to live in survival mode. Your body is capable of healing, and you deserve peace.

🌿 Ready to start your journey toward regulation and healing? Visit VancouverIslandHolisticCounselling.ca to learn more or book a session.

05/12/2025

Religion vs. Spirituality: What’s the Difference?

This isn’t about picking sides. It’s about understanding two deeply personal paths that many of us walk—sometimes together, sometimes separately.

Religion provides structure: sacred texts, rituals, traditions, and a shared community of belief. It can ground us, give us purpose, and offer a sense of belonging.

Spirituality is more fluid and internal. It’s the quiet connection to something greater—the universe, nature, energy, the soul. It’s about feeling your way through life with presence, awareness, and a deep sense that there is more to this world than what we can see or touch.

I am a spiritual person. I believe there’s more to this life than the physical.
I believe we are all connected—body, mind, heart, and spirit.
And I will meet you wherever you are—whether rooted in religion, drawn to spirituality, somewhere in between, or just beginning your journey.

You don’t need to have it all figured out.
You just need to be open to growth, healing, and deeper connection.

Let’s explore the path together—whatever it looks like for you.

Visit VancouverIslandHolisticCounselling.ca to learn more, connect, or begin your journey inward.

🕊️✨🌿⛪️🧘‍♀️🌌

04/30/2025

Lately, I’ve been witnessing so much tearing down and hate online—and it’s been weighing heavily on my heart. Sometimes I wonder… would we say those same things if we were face to face? Is social media giving us permission to express hurt in ways we wouldn’t in person?

What if we shifted the culture?

What if we chose radical curiosity, compassion, and care instead of judgment and division? Especially now, in the midst of political tension, I know how easy it is to feel powerless or overwhelmed. For most of my life, I chose to step away from politics because of the resentment and anger I saw. But now, I’m choosing awareness, education, and connection.

We don’t have to agree to uplift each other.
We can choose to meet one another with humanity.

Let’s start a movement of togetherness, not separation.
Let’s remember our oneness.

If you’re seeking support or space to explore these feelings, I’m open to working with new clients.
Visit: VancouverIslandHolisticCounselling.ca

Let’s build a more compassionate world—one heart at a time.

Let’s choose kindness today.
Reach out if you need someone to talk to.
You’re not alone.
You’re never alone.

04/29/2025

For a lot of people, counselling is still a big unknown.
Maybe you wonder what to expect, or if it’s really for you.
Here’s the truth:
A counsellor is someone who’s in your corner ✨
They’re there to listen without judgment, to offer empathy, support, and help you find your own strength.
They don’t tell you who to be — they help you become more you.

You don’t have to be in crisis to start ❤️
You don’t have to have all the answers before you reach out.
Starting a conversation can be the first step toward feeling supported and less alone.

If you’re ready to take a first step (or just curious), we’re here for you.
Come visit: VancouverIslandHolisticCounselling.ca 🌿

04/25/2025

Not Giving Up

Me and my partner—dad to our three kids—are heading toward 15 years together in a committed relationship. And I’ll be honest with you: it hasn’t always been easy.

We’re both deeply passionate about personal growth. We trigger each other a lot. We push each other 🍃. We’ve had to face our own wounds, over and over.

But that’s why we’re still here—because we keep choosing each other. Choosing to try. Choosing to grow. Choosing to have the hard conversations and to keep healing, together.

Relationships aren’t easy. Conflict is inevitable. Growth is messy. But real love isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being real, being committed, and showing up even when it’s hard.

I’ve sometimes felt like a hypocrite—like, who am I to support other couples when my relationship isn’t perfect? But I’ve learned that it’s not about being flawless. It’s about being real. And I am deeply committed to that.

If you’re struggling in your relationship, I see you. You’re not alone—and you don’t have to figure it out alone either. I’m passionate about couples counselling, and I’m here to support you.

Vancouver Island Holistic Counselling
Real people. Real relationships. Real growth.

04/14/2025

✨ No is a full sentence. Your peace matters. ✨

Learning to say no is one of the most powerful acts of self-respect.
It doesn’t have to come with guilt, a long explanation, or an apology.

If you’re someone who struggles with boundaries, here are a few gentle ways to say no:
• “Thank you for thinking of me, but I can’t commit to that right now.”
• “I’m not comfortable with that.”
• “I need to focus on my own needs at the moment.”
• “That doesn’t work for me.”
• “No, but I appreciate you asking.”

Remember:
You’re not responsible for how others feel about your boundaries.
You are responsible for honoring yourself.

If this resonates and you’re ready to explore how to strengthen your boundaries with confidence and compassion, I invite you to connect.

www.vancouverislandholisticcounselling.ca
Empowering you to find your voice, your strength, and your peace.

04/07/2025

One of the biggest life lessons I want to instill in my children…
…and honestly, one I keep learning myself, is this:
We can’t always change the past, but we can choose how we move forward.

That’s the essence of coaching.
Unlike counseling, where we explore your roots—your childhood, your caregivers, the emotional patterns that shaped you—coaching meets you in the now.

What’s the challenge you’re facing?
What’s the outcome you desire?
And what small, meaningful step can we take today to move you closer to it?

It’s not about pretending the past didn’t matter—it’s about reclaiming your power in the present.
That’s the kind of thinking I want to pass on to my kids:
Yes, life is hard sometimes—but we always have a choice.

Let’s grow, learn, and rise—together.

Address

Nanaimo, BC

Opening Hours

Monday	7am - 9pm
Tuesday	7am - 9pm
Wednesday	7am - 9pm
Thursday	7am - 9pm
Friday	7am - 9pm

Telephone

+12507400886

Website

http://www.vancouverislandholisticcounselling.ca/

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