Alison Varga

Registered Provisional Psychologist & Counselling Therapist

In sessions with Alison, expect to feel supported by her level-headed, keep-it-real approach.

Alison is here to validate, affirm, help reduce stress, and hear whatever it is that’s truly weighing on you during this stage. You will be heard, learn tangible strategies to navigate your challenges, your boundaries will be respected, and you can finally move through the difficult part of this chapter.

Fun Fact

Alison is terrified of cows, even though she owns them.

About Alison

Alison is an avid horse and animal lover, step-mum and mum.  She has lived/worked in three different countries.  Her fam is essentials “Charlotte’s Web”.  She has all the same animals!  This may (or may not) have been done on purpose.  Alison also has a very special therapy dog called Kanga.  Ask Alison about her.

Education

Alison’s qualifications won’t fit on her business card, so we’ve listed them here:

  • Registered Counselling Therapist – Association of Counselling Therapy of Alberta, soon to be the College of Counselling Therapy of Alberta
  • Canadian Certified Counsellor – Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
  • Provisional Psychologist – College of Alberta Psychologists
  • Bachelor of Arts – Psychology and Sociology
  • Masters of Counselling Psychology

Specialties / Special Focus

Alison is a counselling therapist who specializes in working with clients primarily struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and addictions. In addition, Alison has received extensive training in trauma informed care, DBT, narrative therapy, polyvagal theory and numerous other client centered approaches. Most recently, Alison has received Perinatal Mental Health Certification. Her areas of focus include infertility, pregnancy and infant loss, anxiety during pregnancy, PTSD, postpartum depression, grief, and adjusting to life as a blended family.

Alison also offers In The Know training, which is a mental health literacy program designed to help farmers understand mental wellness and how to have conversations about distress, anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, and suicide.  Through these experiences, Alison has unique insight into various agricultural sectors, along with the stresses associated with Alberta’s inclement weather, various infectious diseases, and farming life in general.  Alison is part of the AgKnow therapist network currently piloting two free counselling sessions for farmers and their families.

“So with a lot of counselling services, if you cancel within 24 hours, you still get billed for that session. I have a zero-cancellation policy for farmers. So I get it, you know, like in the morning, they could have every intention of coming to see me, but something happened, like a cow goes into labour and the baby’s breached and they’re trying to get the bed out or they’re trying to get the baby out – there’s all these things that they have to do that there’s no way in hell, they’re gonna make it to our counselling appointment, and I will never, ever, ever hold that against them.”⁠ – Alison from @agknowca Instagram
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In-person and virtual sessions are available with flexible scheduling.

** Fall 2023 – AgKnow Free Sessions Pilot Program – Now covering farmers, farm families, veterinarians and their staff – up to two free counselling sessions.  Please book in regular counselling session, make a note this is an “AgKnow Session” and we will take care of the rest. **