Self-Awareness and Creating Change
Victoria brings a holistic approach to counseling which stresses an individual’s self-awareness as the source from which to create meaningful connections with others and the process of life…
By accepting and surrendering to the flow of change, clients are empowered to consciously create connections through nonjudgmental awareness of inner sensations, feelings, thoughts, needs, as well as outer demands from a personal situation or the physical environment.
Awareness is one of the characteristics of a healthy individual. Clients may work towards awareness through interacting experientially with their environment, living consciously in the here and now, and taking personal responsibility for their choices.
Change is process-oriented; that process is as unique as the individual who consciously engages in it.
Counselor Profile
About Victoria
Victoria Paine (she/her) is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) and a licensed alcohol and drug counselor (LADC) providing counseling services via telehealth on the coast of Maine. She sees her counselor role as one of supporting clients as they develop self-awareness and the tools to bring about desired change.
My Beliefs About Human Beings
- Each human being is a unique individual who strives to create connections to others and the environment while maintaining autonomous boundaries.
- Human beings are integrally whole with innate potential for growth and self-expression.
- Human beings have the ability to self-regulate and create meaningful lives.
- Human beings are capable of dealing with life challenges when they’re fully aware of what is happening in and around them.
- Human beings experience the ebb and flow of challenges during the course of their lifetime and may seek counseling to help restore health and balance.
- Human beings experience wellness and satisfaction when their authentic selves are free to create and experience life as they see fit.
How can counseling help me make positive changes?
Self-awareness is the key for creating positive life changes, experiencing personal growth, and developing your full potential. Sometimes awareness can become blocked by negative thoughts, behaviors, or unfinished business. Counseling can help you work through these blockages by bringing awareness to how you think, feel and act in the present moment, providing insight into ways in which you can alleviate your current concerns.
“Don’t push the river – it flows by itself.”
Often, individuals enter counseling for specific concerns: relationship issues, substance use issues, depression, anxiety, trauma, or personal loss. Other times, individuals enter counseling with goals less easily defined: self-awareness, creating a more meaningful life, or personal empowerment. Whatever brings you to counseling today, Victoria will work to provide a safe space for you to engage in the process of gaining self-awareness and creating positive change.
My Counseling Toolbox
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Moral Reconation Therapy
- Guided Imagery
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Personal Narrative Writing
- Early Recollection Writing
The Client-Counselor Relationship
I believe the client-counselor relationship is a key aspect of therapy. Developing a safe space for nonjudgmental exploration and reflection is my main goal. I endeavor to engage in “here and now” dialogue with my clients. By co-creating an “I-Thou” relationship with my clients, my role becomes one of support as they develop self-awareness and formulate their own goals towards the positive life changes they desire.
Coming Soon
- Co-occurring Group for Adults
- Teen Toolbox — therapeutic skills & support group