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For Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP) graduate Jessica Vargas, psychology was never just an interest. It was something she kept finding her way back to, no matter where life took her.
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Vargas became a mother to her first set of twins at 17 and later welcomed a second set. In the years that followed, she raised four children, built a career in education and continued pursuing her own studies. Through every chapter of her life, her love for psychology never faded.
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“I didn’t want to let go of psychology,” she said. And she didn’t.
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Today, Vargas is the founder and Clinical Director of Serene Lotus Psychotherapy, a Burlington-based mental health practice where she has brought together many of the things she cares most about, including psychotherapy, EMDR therapy, body-based approaches, psychoeducation and peer support.
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This fall will mark another special chapter in her journey as she welcomes Yorkville University MACP practicum students into her clinic. Having once stepped into practicum as a student herself, Vargas will now have the opportunity to support and mentor the next generation of therapists.
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A passion that never faded
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Vargas’s Yorkville journey began in 2012, shortly after giving birth to her second set of twins.
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At the time, balancing graduate school, work, and four children wasn’t easy. Although she began in the MACP program, completing a practicum wasn’t realistic with the career and family commitments she had at the time.
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Rather than walking away from education altogether, Vargas pivoted and completed her Master of Education in Adult Education at Yorkville. She later earned a second master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University, while continuing to teach at the college level.
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Even as her career evolved, psychology never left her mind.
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“It always stayed with me,” she said. “I love trying to understand human behaviour and why people do the things they do.”
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When the pandemic prompted her to reflect on what she truly wanted, Vargas knew it was time to return to Yorkville and finish what she had started.
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In 2024, she graduated from the MACP, earning her third master’s degree and becoming a proud alumna of two Yorkville graduate programs.
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Finding the right fit
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Yorkville’s flexible learning environment made all the difference for Vargas, who had spent much of her adult life balancing work and family – a rhythm that traditional education had rarely accommodated. The ability to learn online while continuing to care for her family made pursuing graduate education possible.
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She also appreciated learning from professors who were actively working in the field.
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“They have the practical piece, not just the theory piece,” she explained.
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One lesson, in particular, has stuck with her throughout her career. Early in the MACP program, a professor described the person-centred approach as the foundation of psychotherapy. At the time, Vargas wasn’t sure she fully understood what that meant. Today, she thinks about that lesson quite often.
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Meeting clients with empathy, understanding their experiences through their perspective, and approaching every interaction with unconditional positive regard have become guiding principles in her work as a psychotherapist.
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Bridging her passions into one
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Rather than offering only traditional talk therapy, Vargas set out to build something different at Serene Lotus Psychotherepy: a space where people could access different forms of support depending on their needs.
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Today, the clinic offers psychotherapy, EMDR therapy, body-based therapy, psychoeducational workshops, and peer support services – all centred around the idea that mental wellness isn’t one-size-fits-all. Vargas described wanting to meet people more holistically and give them options for what works best for them.
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“It was really about bringing together all my passions,” she said.
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Vargas’s years as a college professor inspired the clinic’s psychoeducational programming. Her background in yoga therapy helped shape its body-based approach, which incorporates clinically informed techniques focused on the nervous system. And her work as a psychotherapist remains at the heart of everything Serene Lotus offers.
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Each piece reflects a different part of her journey, and together, they’ve created a space that feels uniquely hers.
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Watching a vision come to life
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Like many entrepreneurs, Vargas started small. Serene Lotus began as a single office in a collaborative workspace before growing into a larger clinic that now serves clients throughout the Burlington community.
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For her, the payoff isn’t just a full calendar or a growing client base – it’s the daily experience of walking through doors she once only imagined opening.
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“I did this. It feels surreal,” she said, smiling as she described seeing clients in session while workshops, peer support programming, and other services happen throughout the clinic at the same time.
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“It’s something that once existed in my mind. Now I get to see it happening every day.”
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Giving back to future therapists
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This fall marks another meaningful milestone for Vargas, as Serene Lotus becomes an approved practicum site for Yorkville students.
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She still remembers arriving at practicum herself, feeling excited and nervous about stepping into the profession – and now, she’ll have the opportunity to welcome students into her own clinic.
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“It feels warm,” she expressed, noting that mentorship feels like a natural extension of the work she’s already spent years doing as a college professor. “I’m grateful to be in a position where I can offer that.”
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Beyond helping individual students develop their clinical skills, Vargas hopes to strengthen the community where she lives and works.
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She also hopes every practicum student leaves Serene Lotus not only as a stronger therapist, but as a well-rounded professional who feels confident, supported, and prepared for the next chapter of their career.
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Looking ahead
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Vargas has big dreams for the future of Serene Lotus.
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In the short term, she’s focused on growing the practice, expanding her team, and welcoming Yorkville practicum students this fall.
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Long term, she hopes to see Serene Lotus become a place where mental health support feels approachable, holistic, and free from stigma, with the potential to expand into other communities one day.
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When asked what advice she’d share with current students and fellow alumni, her answer is simple: Never stop learning. Mental health is constantly evolving, she said, and continuing to learn allows practitioners to better support every client who walks through the door.
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More than anything, though, Vargas hopes people remember that even when life takes unexpected turns, dreams don’t have to be left behind.
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Looking back on her own journey, from becoming a young mother to earning three master’s degrees, building a successful practice, and now mentoring future therapists, one message stands above the rest.
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“There is always a way.”
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That mindset has shaped every chapter of Vargas’s journey – and today, it’s helping shape the journeys of others, too.
