About me
I'm Dhaniah Wijaya, registered clinical counsellor (RCC). I'm a psychotherapist based in Vancouver with a Master of Counselling Psychology (MCP) degree from Adler University.
I believe in a holistic, client-centred, and strengths-based approach, as well as being an advocate of social justice, to support diverse peoples through life’s challenges.
My counselling approach explores how past dynamics can co-create our present movement through life, and draws on the Adlerian philosophy of gemeinschaftsgefühl (social connectedness or social interest) as the core, while creating an environment of collaboration, encouragement, and insight.
I offer therapy in both English and Malay / Indonesian.
My story
18 years ago, I started out with a background in education as a public school teacher at the primary level, working with students and their parents to support students’ education. Since then, I have had years of experience working and engaging with individuals from diverse backgrounds and various stages of life, as an educator, facilitator and support worker.
Since immigrating to Canada, I have been a support worker at an addictions recovery home, and provided behavioural intervention to neurodiverse clients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), some with associated risky behaviours such as self-harm and aggression, using applied behaviour analysis (ABA), naturalistic developmental behavioural interventions (NDBI) and early start Denver model (ESDM) play-based therapy modalities.
My social justice initiatives
I'm the co-founder of Interfaith Youth Circle since 2015, which creates safe spaces to explore intersectional issues within faith communities, and between other faith and non-faith communities. Some topics that we have discussed include race and privilege, journeying through grief, and social justice.
I facilitate Scriptural Reasoning groups in the Greater Vancouver area whereby participants of various faiths discuss passages from their scriptures. Scriptural Reasoning began in the early 1990s in North America as 'textual reasoning', and its aim is not about seeking agreement but rather exploring the texts and their possible interpretations across faith boundaries.
You can read more about my interfaith organization here: https://www.interfaithyouthcircle.com
