Our Team
Vanessa Dowell, MSW, RSW
Vanessa is a Master’s-trained Clinical Social Worker with over 25 years of experience supporting individuals and families through a range of mental health and life challenges. Vanessa offers counselling for stress, anxiety, depression, grief, life transitions, and relationship concerns. Vanessa has a specialized focus on fertility, perinatal mental health, and birth trauma, shaped by 11 years working in a perinatal mental health program and her own personal journey through fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum.
Vanessa currently has a waitlist for new clients however please reach out to discuss your specific needs. Vanessa also specializes in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and is currently offering Intensive ART treatment packages to new clients.
Joanna Talecka, RCC
Joanna is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with a Master of Counselling and over 15 years of experience in the social services sector, including 10 years with Nelson Community Services. She is currently accepting new clients in person and online through Lupine Clinical Counselling. Joanna has a special interest in perinatal mental health and is completing certification through the Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Training Program (CPMHT). Her work supports individuals and families navigating reproductive health, prenatal and postpartum anxiety and depression, birth trauma, parenting, relationship challenges, and major life transitions.
Her approach is client-centered, compassionate, and trauma-informed. Joanna integrates Narrative Therapy, CBT, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), and other evidence-based practices to help clients build self-awareness, inner resilience, and positive coping strategies. She brings a holistic lens and a background as a former DONA-certified Doula to her work. Joanna lives with her partner and two young children on a homestead outside Nelson and enjoys gardening, reading, and spending time outdoors with family and friends.
Andrea Onofrio, MA, RCC
Andrea is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) (CCC) and holds a Master’s in Clinical Counselling from Adler University.Andrea has many years of community involvement including the facilitation of pre/post-natal classes, workshops and retreats. Her therapeutic approach is client-centered, compassionate, and trauma-informed. Andrea integrates CBT, DBT, Somatic work, family systems and other evidence-based practices to help support clients through life transitions, anxiety, depression, parenting, and healing from early-life trauma. One of Andrea's areas of specialization is working with neurodiverse families.
Andrea brings deep compassion and authenticity to her work, informed by her own healing journey and years of personal growth. Her experiences growing up with a parent with mental illness, travelling in her youth, and her own parenting journey continue to shape her therapeutic presence.
As a mother of three, Andrea understands the challenges and growth that emerge through parenthood and postpartum experiences. She offers a compassionate space for clients to process, shift unhealthy shift patterns and reconnect with themselves.
Andrea is currently accepting new Clients! If you feel drawn to working with Andrea and would like to book at FREE 15-minute consultation, please follow the button below.
Sara Westnedge, Clinical Counselling Intern
Sara Westnedge is a Master's Counselling student completing her clinical practicum at Lupine Clinical Counselling. She offers a warm, compassionate, and non-judgmental space where clients can feel supported as they navigate life's challenges. Sara works with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and major life transitions, with particular interests in supporting children, families, adoption-related experiences, and multicultural identity.
Sara takes a collaborative, evidence-based approach to therapy, believing that healing begins with feeling heard, understood, and accepted. Outside of the counselling room, she enjoys volunteering in the Nelson community, cheering on her children at their activities, and unwinding with a good cozy mystery novel.
Lupine’s Low Fee Counselling program has returned starting July 2026! Sara is offering low cost counselling to our community under the supervision of Vanessa Dowell MSW,RSW. Sara specializes in helping individuals and families navigate deep emotional terrain, major life shifts and unique identities.
Sessions are available evenings and weekends using a sliding scale of $0 - $75. Appointments available in person and online.