Joonas Vehvilainen, BACP

Originally from Finland, Joonas Vehvilainen has also lived in Thailand and the United States before settling in the United Kingdom, where he has spent most of his life. His early curiosity about how the mind and brain function led him to study psychology, completing an undergraduate degree at the University of York in 2014 with coursework spanning social psychology, mental health disorders, and addiction. He continued to explore the biological and behavioural roots of mental health with a master’s degree in neuroscience at King’s College London in 2015, with a particular focus on behaviour linked to addiction and mental health challenges.

Joonas gained practical experience in London from 2016 to 2019, working as a healthcare assistant in a mental health unit and as a recovery worker in supported accommodation for people facing mental health and addiction issues. In 2019 he began a master’s in addiction psychology and counselling at London South Bank University while working part-time as a counsellor for the NHS, Humankind, and WDP between 2019 and 2021. Those roles helped him develop core skills in assessment, psychoeducation, coping strategies, and emotional support.

In 2021 he became a certified member of the British Association of Counselling Practitioners (BACP) - a professional association for counsellors - and Addiction Professionals. Over a recent five-year period he has delivered more than 1,000 hours of counselling. In 2022 he launched his own practice and also worked as an addiction therapist at Castle Craig Hospital in Scotland. These varied clinical and academic experiences underpin his commitment to supporting people who take the step to seek help.