Veronica Hagen, AMFT
“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen."
- Brene Brown
You’re Not Broken. You’re Tired.
If you’ve been the responsible one for most of your life, you probably learned early how to adapt, push through, and take care of what needed to be done—often without much support. You grew up fast. You shouldered burdens that weren’t even yours to carry and fought battles no one knew about. Still, you kept going.
That strength got you here. And it may also be what’s wearing you down. “Suck it up” works—until it doesn’t.
You’ve carried so much for so long, and you may be wondering if life can ever be different.
As a fellow traveler on this healing journey—someone who grew up believing that children were to be seen and not heard—I understand how adults can continue to carry the pain of unmet needs from childhood. It is possible to lighten the load, honor your own needs, and heal in ways that allow you to be fully seen and known.
I work with people who’ve managed it all—life transitions, parenting, supporting younger siblings or aging parents, grief, relationship changes, or the quiet exhaustion of always being needed. Many don’t initially recognize their past as traumatic, even as it continues to influence how they feel, relate, and see themselves and others.
You did what you had to do.
That doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt.
Therapy That Feels Human
I know how heavy it can feel to carry things on your own. That’s why real connection matters so much in this work. Therapy with me isn’t about labeling or fixing you—it’s about understanding you as a whole person. When you’re seen as human, not broken, hope has room to grow.
You don’t have to perform, explain yourself, or hold it all together. You’re welcome to show up overwhelmed, guarded, exhausted, or simply tired of being tired. I work collaboratively with adults who are done white-knuckling their way through life.
Together, we slow things down, get curious, and create space for something more sustainable.
We explore patterns that once helped you survive—hyper-independence, overfunctioning, putting everyone else first, ignoring your own needs—and ask whether they’re still serving you.
What helped you survive isn’t always what helps you heal.
Healing doesn’t mean losing your strength. It means learning how to care for yourself with the same dedication you’ve given everyone else.
Serving clients in-person at our Fair Oaks location, and providing online therapy throughout California.
How I work…
My work is trauma-informed and relational, grounded in respect for your lived experience and guided by compassionate curiosity and acceptance. I bring perspective shaped by hard-earned wisdom, acquired through many bumps along the way—compliments of the school of hard knocks.
I draw from a range of modalities to support nervous system regulation, deeper self-understanding, and meaningful, lasting change, including:
Brainspotting
Somatic and parts work
Attachment theory
Psychodynamic insight
Polyvagal principles
You’ll also be met with a healthy dose of humor—laughter is part of the process and helps us stay human as we heal.
You’ve done enough for everyone else. Now it’s time to notice yourself.
Education:
Veronica Hagen, MA, AMFT is a registered associate marriage and family therapist at Whole Wellness Therapy.
M.A. in Counseling at Western Seminary, OR (2022)
B.S. in Human Development at U.C. Davis (2003)
Certifications/Trainings:
Certified Brainspotting Practitioner
Gottman Couples Therapy (Level One)
Certified Grief-Informed Professional
Certified Trauma-Informed Professional
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
Veronica provides in-person therapy and online therapy in CA to individual adults.
More About Veronica:
Veronica is an associate therapist at the practice who supports individual adults navigating trauma, grief, relationship challenges, and life transitions. For over 25 years, she’s lived the behind-the-scenes reality of being a law-enforcement spouse while raising a family. Her life experiences shape how she shows up in the therapy room—with humility, steadiness, and the practical wisdom of someone who’s been through some stuff.
With a human- and heart-centered approach, Veronica connects authentically with clients and believes that when people show up for themselves, they can show up more fully for the important people in their lives—creating deeper, more meaningful connections.
Outside of therapy, Veronica enjoys time with family and friends, hanging out with her goofy Labrador Retriever, thrift-store treasure hunting, and listening to playlists that span decades and moods.
California Board of Behavioral Sciences Registration Number: AMFT138287
Supervised by Jamie Johnson, MS, LPCC #LPCC9506
