Who We Are

Vanessa Fahie

Owner of Building Bridges Counselling Services
BA, MC, CCC, CT
Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCPA)
Counselling Therapist (ACTA)

Vanessa Fahie is the co-creator and current owner of Building Bridges Counselling Services, a collaborative, client-centered practice grounded in compassion, integrity, and inclusivity.  From its beginnings, Vanessa has played an integral role in developing the heart and vision of the practice.  She continues to lead and shape Building Bridges into a supportive, values-driven space where both clients and clinicians feel connected, empowered, and well cared for.  Vanessa remains actively engaged in all areas of the practice, including counselling, supervision, team development, program design, and community partnerships, to ensure that services reflect the evolving needs of the individuals and communities they support.

Vanessa is passionate about people and strives to create a safe, healing environment by offering care during moments of vulnerability and need. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology from the University of Lethbridge and a Master of Counselling Psychology from City University of Seattle.  She is a Certified Canadian Counsellor with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and is recognized as a Counselling Therapist with the Association of Counselling Therapy of Alberta (ACTA).

With many years of experience in the mental health field, Vanessa has worked as a crisis counsellor, cognitive coach, and therapist in Calgary supporting children, youth, adults, couples, families, and groups.  Her clinical experience spans a wide range of concerns including anxiety, trauma, grief and loss, parenting stress, neurodivergence, emotional regulation, schooling difficulties, relationship issues, life transitions, identity exploration, domestic violence, substance use, sexual health, risk, and life stress.  She supports clients in understanding the complex impact that substance use can have on mental health, personal well-being, and relationships—working with compassion and care to foster change and connection.

Vanessa has extensive experience supporting clients navigating suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and emotional crisis.  She approaches this work with grace, patience, and deep respect for the pain her clients carry, prioritizing safety, connection, and a non-judgmental presence.  Her training in ASIST suicide intervention, trauma-sensitive practice, ethics, and collaborative approaches informs her ability to walk alongside clients during their most vulnerable moments.

Her counselling style is warm, transparent, collaborative, and trauma-informed.  She draws from emotionally focused therapy (EFT), response-based practice, narrative therapy, solution-focused approaches, somatic and attachment-based strategies, mindfulness, and mind-body integration.  She is passionate about supporting total body wellness and believes in helping people move from distress to wellness in a way that honours their strengths and lived experiences.

Vanessa is trained in EMDR therapy, Circle of Security therapy, and clinical supervision. She has completed the EFT Externship and Emotionally Focused Family Therapy Levels One and Two, as well as both RELATE Level One and RELATE: Love, Sex & Power in Relationship Therapy. She also holds advanced certification in the Gottman Method’s 10 Core Principles of Effective Couples Therapy and completed a capstone project exploring sex and desire in couples—work that continues to inform her grounded, sensitive, and deeply relational approach to intimacy and connection.

Her training spans a wide range of relational and attachment-based approaches, including response-based practice, emotionally focused therapy, narrative therapy, somatic and trauma-sensitive practices, and feedback-informed treatment. She has completed many suicide intervention trainings and ethics education with Dr. Dawn McBride. Vanessa has also pursued extensive professional development with leading voices in the field. These include Dr. Alan Wade, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Dr. Peter Levine, Dr. Sue Johnson, Drs. John and Julie Gottman, Dr. Brené Brown, Terry Real (LICSW), and Esther Perel (LMFT). She is committed to ongoing learning and to amplifying diverse voices in her work, with a special interest in relationship dynamics, attachment, emotional resilience, and healing through authentic human connection.

Vanessa also offers animal-assisted therapy and is the proud owner of one of Building Bridges’ therapy dogs.  She thoughtfully integrates animal support into sessions when appropriate, recognizing the connection and comfort they bring.

Vanessa believes in the strength of vulnerability, the mind-body connection, and the healing power of authentic relationships.  One of her favorite quotes—“Therapy begins when there is a moment of shared vulnerability”—reflects the heart of her approach.  She is honoured to walk alongside clients in their healing process, and to witness their growth, courage, and self-discovery.

Outside of counselling, Vanessa enjoys traveling, yoga, camping, spending time in nature, quiet moments with her dog, and connecting with loved ones.  She is passionate about making counselling accessible, inclusive, and grounded in real human connection, for every person who walks through the door.

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