Danika Bazant
Registered Clinical Counsellor
MA, RCC #12079 (she/her)
EMDR | Somatic therapy | Attachment-focused therapy
Individual therapy for adults 18+
In-person sessions in Nanaimo, BC
Online sessions throughout BC
Helping You Heal, Grow, and Reconnect with Yourself
My Approach
Many of the clients I work with are successful, capable people who find themselves feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in patterns they can't seem to change.
Perhaps you:
Feel triggered more often than you'd like, and aren't sure why
Struggle to move past experiences that continue to affect you
Notice the same relationship dynamics showing up again and again
Feel disconnected from yourself, your needs, or your sense of direction
Know something needs to change but feel uncertain where to begin
These experiences often have deeper roots than we realize. The ways we respond to stress, relationships, conflict, and change are frequently shaped by our past experiences, attachment patterns, and nervous systems.
My approach combines EMDR, somatic therapy, attachment theory, and Polyvagal Theory to help you understand not only what is happening, but why it is happening. Together, we can explore the patterns that are keeping you stuck and work toward creating lasting change.
Therapy That Meets You Where You Are
I offer both traditional weekly therapy and extended EMDR sessions for adults seeking deeper, more focused work.
Whether you're navigating trauma, relationship challenges, anxiety, life transitions, or long-standing patterns that no longer serve you, our work together will be tailored to your unique needs and goals.
For some clients, weekly therapy is the best fit. For others, extended sessions or EMDR Intensives can provide an opportunity to dedicate focused time to healing and trauma processing.
About Me
Danika Bazant, MA, RCC
I have been a Registered Clinical Counsellor since 2014 and have a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from the University of Victoria. I have over 15 years of experience in the counselling field working with adults, children and families in public mental health settings, substance use treatment and non-profit societies.
I specialize in working with adults (18+) in overcoming trauma and have undertaken training in various trauma-processing modalities. Some of the approaches which inform my practice are:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Somatic Attachment Therapy
Integrated Body Psychotherapy (IBP)
Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
Solution-Focused Therapy
I am a member of the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC). I am also an Occupationally Aware Clinician and in my graduate training completed a project on the challenges that first responders face in accessing mental health supports.
I also have many years of experience working as a mental health therapist within the public health system which has helped me to have an in-depth understanding of many of the difficulties impacting health care professionals such as nurses and other public system employees.
Life-long learning is a passion of mine, and staying current in my profession and serving clients as best as I can is important to me. That being said, I have a full appreciation of the myriad of lessons, gifts and challenges that come from just being a human being living our everyday lives; this provides me with the continual inspiration to do this work.
Specialties
Relational Work
Relational / Relationship Issues
Family of Origin / Family of Creation Dynamics
Life Transitions
Burnout / Career Transitions
Separation / Divorce / High-Conflict Divorce
Loss of Relationships
Trauma
Post-Traumatic Stress / Anxiety
Complex Trauma
Historical or Recent Abuse Recovery
Narcissistic Abuse Recovery
Performance Anxiety / Enhancement
EMDR Intensives - Extended Sessions, Half or Full Days (online or in-person)
Recommended treatment length and plan will be discussed in detail with you depending on your goals. Please contact me for further information and to schedule a free 15-minute consultation
What is EMDR? From the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) Website:
“EMDR is a structured therapy that encourages the patient to focus briefly on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and PTSD symptoms. Ongoing research supports positive clinical outcomes showing EMDR therapy as a helpful treatment for disorders such as anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic pain, addictions, and other distressing life experiences (Maxfield, 2019). EMDR therapy has even been superior to Prozac in trauma treatment (Van der Kolk et al., 2007). Shapiro and Forrest (2016) share that more than 7 million people have been treated successfully by 110,000 therapists in 130 countries since 2016.”
What is an EMDR Intensive?
An EMDR Therapy Intensive fast-tracks the healing that you would experience in a typical EMDR session. Instead of going to counselling for your weekly or bi-weekly session, you would dedicate a specific block of time (from 3 hours to 3 days) to work intensively. Like the name, it certainly can feel more “intense”; however, clients typically get used to the process quickly and experience powerful transformation in a shorter period of time.
This might be for you if you:
Already go to therapy but want to focus on experiencing transformation in a certain area
Have done EMDR in the past and want to concentrate on something specific
Are preparing for a big life event or transition
Have a painful experience from the past that is still bothering you and you want to feel more empowered
Feel free to contact me to discuss if an EMDR Intensive is right for you.
Which is more effective, EMDR via week-to-week therapy or an intensive?
Research is growing on effectiveness of EMDR intensives. Several studies have shown that they are just as effective as weekly therapy. It might be an option for you if it suits your budget and you just want your “feel better faster”!
Get in touch
Reaching out for support can feel like a vulnerable first step. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, stuck, struggling in relationships, or carrying the weight of past experiences, you don't have to navigate it alone.
I offer a complimentary 15-minute consultation so we can get a sense of whether we might be a good fit for working together. During this conversation, I'll invite you to share a little about what's bringing you to counselling, and you'll have an opportunity to ask questions about my approach, the counselling process, and how we might work together.
If we decide to move forward, we will discuss practical details such as whether you prefer in-person or online sessions, the frequency of appointments, and what format of therapy might best support your goals. In addition to traditional weekly therapy, I also offer extended EMDR sessions and intensive therapy options for clients seeking a more focused approach.
Following our consultation, you will receive access to my intake and consent forms so that I can learn a little more about you before our first appointment.
I look forward to connecting with you and learning more about how I can support you.
