Hello! My name is Vanessa Aceves, I am an Associate Therapist here at Avani Counseling, supervised by Mona Klausing, LMFT (CA #101243).

As a San Diego county local, I am deeply invested in the wellbeing of our beautiful, little corner of the world and its people. Working with individuals, families and couples as a relational therapist is my small, beloved contribution toward the overall health of our community. With roots in the northwest of Mexico, I am also passionate about the ways our identities impact our sense of reality, and how these can be acknowledged, molded and re-created. Given this, I also practice in English, Spanish and Spanglish. I would describe my style as focused, experimental and collaborative, with a great appreciation for the unpaved roads that present themselves throughout the therapy process. 

My experience in the field has largely been in the area of grief and loss, where I’ve had the privilege of accompanying folks through the passing of significant relationships, as well as anticipatory grief. My time working in the realm of death, loss and existential topics has continued to illuminate the way meaningful relationships often set the pace of our life’s orbit. I’ve also found a keen interest in learning about how folks of varying cultural backgrounds conceptualize death, and how culture informs their respective traditions and meaning-making processes. Working in this space, I found myself continuously humbled by the beauty, discipline and heart with which people continue to honor and connect with their loved ones post-mortem.

I conceptualize my work through the lens of postmodern philosophies, with a specific pull toward Michel Foucault’s ethical framework, “aesthetics of existence.” Similar to how one would bring a painting, essay, sculpture or house to fruition–through thoughtful collaborations, intentional decisions, and a solid idea of one’s own preferences–Foucault imagines that we can treat our lives as works of art just the same. With this, I often view the therapeutic process as an inherently artistic process, in which we can bring to fruition preferred identities and ways of living through a conversational canvas.

My therapeutic approach is closely aligned with Narrative Therapy practices, meaning I will pay close attention to how our use of language generates, sustains, and can deconstruct problems. I am also influenced by Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, using elements of practical, strengths-based methods for nourishing the knowledge we already hold. 

It would be an honor to work with you, and dive into the unique colors and shapes of your life together. If you choose to work with me, I will do my best to create a sturdy and dynamic environment, curated collaboratively to support your personal hopes and dreams. 

My fees are $95-125 per 45-minute session (based on household income). See our sliding fee scale and request an appointment.

Hola todes! Me llamo Vanessa Aceves, y trabajo en Avani Counseling como terapeuta relacional. Siendo local al condado de San Diego, el bienestar de nuestra comunidad es sumamente importante para mi, por lo que considero mi trabajo en el ambiente terapéutico mi granito de arena en este esfuerzo.

Con raíces en el noroeste de México, me interesa explorar las formas en las cuales la cultura que nos rodea influye en nuestras ideas, preferencias e identidad–específicamente, los espacios multiculturales, donde el discurso de “quien y como ser” suele contradecirse. Describiría mi estilo como enfocado, colaborativo y experimental. 

Mi experiencia como terapeuta ha sido mayormente en el ambiente de luto, trabajando con clientes quienes perdieron un ser querido y con pacientes quienes estaban llegando al final de su tiempo en esta tierra. Es un gran honor acompañar a mis clientes en su proceso de luto, colaborar para explorar cambios en su identidad y sus relaciones. Así mismo, buscar formas de seguir honrando y conectando con su ser querido post-mortem. 

En cuanto a mis preferencias teóricas y filosóficas, utilizo la terapia narrativa (Narrative Therapy) y Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. En pocas palabras, esto significa que me interesa la forma en cómo el lenguaje puede crear y sostener los problemas, y que le doy importancia a las fortalezas y conocimientos con los cuales comenzamos el proceso terapéutico. A nivel filosófico, me interesan las ideas de Michel Foucault, especialmente su marco ético, “estética de la existencia.” Foucault imagina que podemos tratar nuestras vidas como una obra de arte–es decir, al igual que una escultura o una novela, podemos construir nuestras vidas a partir de decisiones intencionales, colaboraciones significativas y una idea sólida de cuales son nuestras preferencias. Conceptualizo el proceso terapéutico de una forma similar, considerando las sesiones como un canvas conversacional en donde podemos ir dándole vida a nuestras identidades y circunstancias preferidas. 

Sería un honor trabajar contigo, y explorar juntos las curvas y paletas únicas que constituyen tu vida. Si eliges trabajar conmigo, será mi prioridad mantener un espacio seguro y dinámico, curado alrededor de tus metas.