Meet marriage Therapist Annie Vance
License Numbers:
MFC 40007 CA
MFT 136 HI
About
Annie Vance is a marriage and family therapist licensed in California and Hawaii who has chosen to have her clinical practice in Lahaina, Maui. She was raised and educated in the Caribbean islands and Canada. She has lived in California and previously lived in Hawaii.
Professional Experience
Her career began in early childhood education, infant stimming, child development, and special education, where the importance of development in the early years was emphasized. She owned a preschool and a children’s educational toy store called Teacher and Child, where the emphasis was “You are your child’s first teacher.” She provided educational and creative materials, resources, and workshops, guiding parents and teachers in taking advantage of the learning and development that takes place in a child’s first five formative years.
Personal Background
Later, after a divorce, she moved to Maui with her daughter Kristy and produced a line of art in watercolors and batik on silk paintings that were marketed throughout the islands as fabrics for Aloha shirts, prints, cards, and original art.
Career Change
Upon remarriage, she moved to California, where she decided to pursue a career in counseling. Upon returning to school, she completed a master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy and Art Therapy followed by a doctorate in Christian Counseling Psychology and many specialized courses of interest found on her Continuing Education page. Her husband died of cancer while she was at school. She stayed on and opened two very successful therapy practices in Simi Valley and Santa Barbara, California.
Moving Back to Hawaii
In mid-2017, Annie and her therapy dog Rio responded to the call of the island by returning to live at her place in Puamana, where she resides near the ocean. She has opened a part-time practice here and creates art in her spare time as her therapy. Annie enjoys working with couples and individuals as they face life’s challenges, assisting in moving them to decrease discomfort and pain and increase pleasure, safety, security, and purpose in their lives through a wide variety of tools and resources she has acquired over her almost 20 years in the field.
Life as a Marriage Therapist in Lahaina, HI
Annie is passionate about guiding local couples in navigating life’s challenges, both individually and as a united front. Whether clients are seeking marriage therapy or exploring faith-based counseling options, she is committed to enhancing the relational well-being of each couple she serves.
Specializations
Couples Therapy
She helps pre-married couples, families, and individuals maintain and strengthen their relationships through couples therapy in Lahaina, HI. Her tailored therapy programs address past traumas without re-traumatization, empowering clients to gain valuable insights and foster a healthier, more fulfilling connection with themselves and each other.
Christian Marriage Counseling
As an experienced marriage therapist, Annie provides comprehensive Christian marriage counseling in Lahaina, HI, to help husbands and wives address unresolved conflicts related to work, finances, or family dynamics. She aims to guide married couples toward healthier, happier relationships and family life.
About Roscoe
Roscoe was a puppy found trying to cross Roscoe Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley. There was heavy traffic, and this tiny puppy was wandering out into the traffic. I stopped, retrieved him, and knocked on nearby doors to see if he belonged there. No one knew who he belonged to or where he came from.
Being on my way to a meeting, I dropped him off at my friend Tamara’s and asked if she would keep him in her garage in a box until the meeting was over.
She had another plan! She told me she had been wanting a puppy and asked if they could keep him. I said yes, and he was theirs, a new addition to a family with a toddler. They named him T.O. for Time Out, which the mom got when she would take him for a walk.
Dog-Sitting Roscoe
Shortly after, the family went on vacation to Maui, and I gladly dog-sat him for the week. He was adorable, no longer a tiny puppy but a tall, straggly almost-dog-no-longer-cute puppy and a wild thing with lots of energy! He spent most of his time tethered on a line under the trees in my backyard. He had bolted a couple of times across the street to the park with no regard for the traffic. He was too wild to let in except at night to feed him.
Becoming Roscoe’s New Fur Parent
Our friendship and contact continued… Then, one day, Tamara called to say that her husband no longer wanted him at their home. He was too wild to have around their small son. She was heartbroken. Would I take him was her next question… Without a doubt! Later that day, he arrived with all his toys, leashes, and gear.
I had never planned to have a dog. I had always had a guinea pig. Roscoe had touched my heart with his spunk and playful heart, and I was open to a change.
Obedience and Therapy Dog Training
Off we went to obedience school, where he was a great student, then off to therapy dog exam, and he was a success there, too. He outgrew his wild stage and has settled down to be such a loyal friend and companion.
Roscoe’s Work as a Therapy Dog
He moved on to greet clients at the gate with his toys in hopes that he would get a chance to play tug or fetch with them. The fun would ensue until it was time to go in for their appointment, and he would often be there to walk them to the gate as they departed after a session with me. Gotta love him. You can almost see his smile some days! Roscoe died in 2014 after a battle with cancer at only 7 years old.
About Rio
Rio is a rescue from Nevada. Jill Scrudato had a passion for rescuing Australian Cattle dogs, also known as Heelers. One day, she asked if I would be interested in adopting a Heeler… I suggested that a Lab would be a better fit as a therapy dog. The next week, she called to say she had found a Lab-Heeler mix, and it was on its way to Simi Valley. He arrived, I immediately loved him, and we have become the best of buddies. He accompanied me to my Santa Barbara Office. While commuting as a puppy, he snuggled on my lap. When I decided to return to Maui, there was no question that he would accompany me, so pre-quarantine procedures were started, and his tenure accompanying me to see my clients qualified him as an emotional support animal and therapy dog in training. He proudly accompanied me in the cabin, thanks to United Airlines, on our journey to Maui at the end of May. He is a great alarm system here, protects me like a bodyguard, and accompanies me almost everywhere, especially to the beach where he loves playing fetch. He has learned to swim out and get the tennis ball and is working on learning to catch the surf waves back in!! He loves greeting and being with people. He would be delighted to greet you.
Contact Us for More Information
To inquire about our couples therapy services, Christian marriage counseling solutions, and other offerings, feel free to get in touch with us. It would be our pleasure to answer your questions about us and what we can do for you. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
