Therapeutic Philosophy · United Kingdom · Română
Integrative
neuroaffirming therapy
An integrative and holistic approach, in which the mind, body, relationships and meaning are all addressed within the same session.
Seven psychotherapeutic approaches, ranging from regulating the nervous system and working with inner parts to early schemas and the integration of experiences that cannot be put into words. I work with adults on the autism spectrum, with ADHD, AuDHD, PDA and OCD, where a single theoretical model is rarely sufficient. Below, I’ll go through each one in turn and explain how they fit together.
Person-Centred TherapyInternal Family SystemsSchema TherapyPolyvagal TherapyDBTTranspersonal PsychotherapyPsychedelic Integration Therapy
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Approach 1 of 7 · Relationships & the Self
Person-Centred Therapy · You don’t have to prove your worth to be met with unconditional acceptance.
The basis of the practice
It helps when you’ve never felt truly safe being yourself — in therapy or anywhere else — without managing how you’re perceived or meeting external expectations
Unconditional acceptanceNo hidden agendaYou set the pace
“The first therapist who didn’t need me to explain why eye contact is difficult — or why I pretended it wasn’t.”
- What is
- Person-centred therapy is based on the idea that, in an atmosphere of genuine acceptance, people naturally move in the direction that is right for them. It is not for me to decide how you should feel or who you should become. My role is to provide a space where you no longer need to explain yourself, justify yourself or translate what you feel into a language that someone else expects. For many neurodivergent people, this is the first relationship in which ‘masking’ isn’t the price of admission, and difference is seen as just that – a difference – rather than a flaw to be fixed.
- At the meeting
- I spend most of the session listening and checking that I’ve understood what you meant to say, not just what it sounded like to me. You won’t receive unsolicited advice, nor will I push you towards a conclusion I’ve already decided on; if I have an opinion, I’ll state it as an opinion, not as a verdict. Silences can remain silences. When I feel we’re heading in a direction that isn’t helpful to you, I’ll ask — and we’ll change course, without the need for an explanation.
- Who is it for?
- It’s the right choice if you’re tired of being assessed and need a place where you can think out loud without being corrected at every turn. It’s also the foundation on which the other six rest: without it, any technique remains simply an instruction received from outside.
Approach 2 of 7 · Relationships & the Self
Internal Family Systems · The parts of you that seem to contradict each other are each, in their own way, trying to protect you.
The Interior Parts Model (IFS)
It helps when you feel pulled in opposite directions, you do things that aren’t in line with what matters to you, or you don’t understand why you do what you do
Parts, not faultsInner criticInternal conflict
"The first time someone had explained why I sometimes act against my own values — and didn’t blame me for it."
- What is
- The ‘inner parts’ model views the mind as a system: one part that criticises, one that procrastinates, one that protects, and one that craves peace at any cost. None of them is the enemy — each one emerged at some point to protect you from something, usually in a context where it actually made sense. Internal conflict isn’t a sign that something is wrong with you, but rather that several defence strategies are activated at the same time and are getting in each other’s way.
- At the meeting
- We work with the part that is manifesting itself right now: we listen to it, find out why it does what it does, why it fears stopping, and show it that it is no longer the only one carrying the whole burden. We do not force anything out, nor do we label it. As that part feels heard, the inner tone changes of its own accord, and decisions begin to come from a calmer place.
- Who is it for?
- It helps when you feel torn in two: you want to do something and you don’t want to, you start and then get stuck, and straight away that voice pops up to tear you down. It’s also useful when your inner critic has become so familiar that you confuse it with your own voice.
Approach 3 of 7 · Mind & Emotions
Schema Therapy · Some of your strongest beliefs about yourself were formed before you even had the words to express them.
Early patterns and beliefs
It helps when the same painful patterns keep repeating themselves, or you have deep-seated beliefs about yourself that seem true even though you know they aren’t
Early examplesCore beliefsRecurring situations
“I’ve come to understand why a minor criticism triggers such a huge reaction — and where it actually comes from.”
- What is
- Schema therapy focuses on patterns formed early in life — ‘I’m not good enough’, ‘if I show who I really am, I’ll end up alone’ — and the way in which they continue to shape our reactions today.
- At the meeting
- We identify the pattern, the moment it formed and the situations that trigger it, then we develop a new response, practised in small steps, without asking you to change overnight. We also look at the cost of the old strategy: what protected you back then and what it’s costing you now. Change comes from repetition in real-life situations, not from logically convincing yourself that a belief is false.
- Who is it for?
- This is useful when the same situations keep recurring in your relationships, at work or in the way you talk to yourself, even though each time you’ve set out to do something different. Particularly suitable if you understand rationally that it’s not your fault, but deep down it doesn’t feel that way at all.
Approach 4 of 7 · Body & nervous system
Polyvagal Therapy · Your nervous system isn’t overreacting. It’s doing exactly what it’s been taught to do.
Body and nervous system
It helps when you go into shutdown mode after social events, freeze up before difficult conversations, feel disconnected from your body, or only recognise the signs of burnout after you’ve had a breakdown
Physical conditionsSensory regulationBefore the words
"I stopped fighting with my own body and started listening to it."
- What is
- The polyvagal approach starts with the body: the nervous system switches between safety, alarm and withdrawal, and this happens before any thought or decision. It is not a choice, nor is it a lack of willpower; it is a protective reaction that has been calibrated over time. For neurodivergent nervous systems, the threshold is often reached sooner, and recovery takes longer than the world around them allows.
- At the meeting
- Together, we’ll learn to recognise what state you’re in and what brings you back to a safe place — breathing, rhythm, movement, the sensory environment, and real breaks, not just theoretical ones. We’ll map out the early warning signs, so that you don’t only realise you’ve pushed yourself too far after you’ve already broken down, and we’ll adapt the environment where possible, rather than asking you to cope with more.
- Who is it for?
- This is for you if “I know what I need to do, but my body won’t let me” sounds familiar, whether you’re feeling exhausted or experiencing sensory overload.
Approach 5 of 7 · Mind & Emotions
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy · Practical skills for managing emotional intensity — tailored to your nervous system.
DBT · skills for challenging times
It helps when your emotions feel overwhelming or unpredictable, you experience meltdowns or shutdowns, or you need practical skills to cope with difficult moments
Practical skillsIntense momentsPractised, not taught
"Skills that really do work when the going gets tough, not just in theory."
- What is
- DBT provides practical skills for those moments when emotions are too intense for you to think clearly: tolerance of discomfort, emotional regulation, relationships and clarity in the midst of the turmoil. The central idea is dialectics: two things that are true at the same time — you’re doing everything you can right now, and yet, at the same time, you need something else to feel better. Nothing you feel needs to be denied in order for you to make a change.
- At the meeting
- We’ll pick a few skills, practise them together and adapt them to the way you function, not to what the manual says about a hypothetical nervous system. I won’t give you twenty worksheets; we’ll pick two or three things that you can actually do when you’re already in the flow, and we’ll make them simple enough to be accessible without needing intact working memory.
- Who is it for?
- It helps with intense emotional ups and downs, impulsiveness and episodes of crisis that pass quickly but leave you feeling ashamed and exhausted. It’s also suitable when rejection – whether real or merely suspected – ruins your day in a matter of minutes.
Approach 6 of 7 · Relationships & the Self
Transpersonal Psychotherapy · Human development can continue beyond the alleviation of symptoms and the strengthening of the ordinary self — towards meaning and self-transcendence.
Meaning, self-transcendence and the spiritual dimension of experience
It helps when you feel that something essential is missing even when practical problems have been resolved, or you find yourself pondering questions about meaning, identity or spirituality
Meaning and valuesWithout dogmaA broad perspective
“I was able to incorporate the aspect of meaning into the therapy, without it being treated as a symptom.”
- What is
- Transpersonal psychotherapy makes room for questions of meaning, values and belonging, without steering them in any particular religious direction and without requiring any specific belief. It starts from the simple observation that personal development does not stop when symptoms subside: questions remain about what matters, who you are beyond the roles you play, and what to make of experiences that do not fit within conventional explanations.
- At the meeting
- We focus on what matters to you beyond what is causing you pain right now: what you find truly important, what keeps you connected to your life, and what you have put aside in order to cope. Sometimes this takes the form of a reassessment of your values; at other times, it’s a space where you can say things you haven’t said anywhere else, without them being treated as symptoms.
- Who is it for?
- It’s appropriate when, on paper, things are going well but seem hollow, or following a major life change that has shifted your frame of reference. And after a late diagnosis, when the question is no longer ‘what’s wrong with me’, but ‘who am I, really, if I’ve spent so many years living by someone else’s rules’.
Approach 7 of 7 · Relationships & the Self
Psychedelic Integration Therapy · A place where the psychedelic experience can be discussed openly: beforehand, to prepare yourself, and afterwards, so that you can integrate it into your life.
Preparation, risk mitigation and integration, within a legal and secure framework
It helps when Are you considering having a legal psychedelic experience, or have you already had one, and are you looking for a safe space to prepare, minimise risks and process what you’ve experienced?
Legal frameworkRisk reductionBefore and after
“A place where I was able to speak openly, without being judged and without being put off.”
- What is
- Integration means preparation before and understanding after an experience, within a legal framework, with a focus on risk reduction. I do not supply, recommend or administer substances, and my role is neither to encourage nor to discourage you. It’s about a space where the subject can be discussed openly, with accurate information rather than myths, and where what you’ve experienced becomes something useful, rather than a memory you keep separate from the rest of your life.
- At the meeting
- We discuss the context, safety, medication, background and expectations; we then turn the experience into something useful for everyday life, at a pace that doesn’t unsettle you. If difficult material comes up, we return to a place of stability before any interpretation. When there are signs that it isn’t a safe choice for you, I’ll tell you so straight away and we’ll work on what you actually need.
- Who is it for?
- For anyone who has been through such an experience, or is considering it, and wants a place where they can discuss it without being judged or treated as a case study. If the subject doesn’t concern you, this option doesn’t appear in the guide at all: you choose it yourself; it isn’t suggested by an algorithm.
How do they fit together?
Four questions, then I’ll show you how it would fit together.
You don’t simply choose a method from a menu and receive a diagnosis. You answer four questions, and below you’ll see how the approaches would be organised based on what you’ve described: where to start, what would be added along the way, and what remains in the background.
Question 1 of 4
When you’re having a hard time, where do you first feel it?
Result
That’s how it would fit together, based on what you’ve described.
It’s not a score and it’s not a formula. It’s the way I’d approach things with you during our first session: the order above is an initial outline, which we’ll review during our first discussion and adjust as we go along.
Specifically
What does this look like in practice?
Available online only, in Romanian or English. The first session is a free consultation, so we can see if we’re a good fit.
- Location
- Online only (video) — United Kingdom
- Duration of the session
- 50 minutes
- Frequency
- Weekly (recommended) or every two weeks
- Languages
- Romanian and English
- Online platform
- Google Meet (secure)
- The first meeting
- Free 30-minute consultation
Training and affiliations
Accreditation
MNCPS (Acc.)An accredited member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society, a register accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
MNCPS (Acc.)An accredited member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society, a register accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.Affiliation
the Person Centred AssociationMember of the Person-Centred Association, the British association for the person-centred approach.
the Person Centred AssociationMember of the Person-Centred Association, the British association for the person-centred approach.Affiliation
Medical Cannabis Clinicians SocietyHealthcare professional affiliated with MCCS UK. Trained in the clinical applications and evidence base for cannabis-based medicinal products.
Medical Cannabis Clinicians SocietyHealthcare professional affiliated with MCCS UK. Trained in the clinical applications and evidence base for cannabis-based medicinal products.Specialist training
ASDCSAutism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist, Evergreen Certifications. Assessment, support and strategies for adults with autism, across the full spectrum of presentations.
ASDCSAutism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist, Evergreen Certifications. Assessment, support and strategies for adults with autism, across the full spectrum of presentations.Specialist training
ADHD-CCSPADHD Certified Clinical Services Provider, Evergreen Certifications. Executive function, emotional dysregulation and RSD-informed practice.
ADHD-CCSPADHD Certified Clinical Services Provider, Evergreen Certifications. Executive function, emotional dysregulation and RSD-informed practice.Academic background
London Metropolitan UniversityBSc (Hons) Counselling & Coaching, First-Class Honours — an integrative programme combining person-centred, psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural approaches.
London Metropolitan UniversityBSc (Hons) Counselling & Coaching, First-Class Honours — an integrative programme combining person-centred, psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural approaches.First contact
The first session doesn’t require you to be prepared
We’ll meet online, on Google Meet, for thirty minutes. This is an introductory chat, free of charge; therapy sessions, if we decide to continue, last fifty minutes. You don’t need to come prepared with a neat story, a list or a diagnosis. You can start anywhere: with what happened this week, something that happened ten years ago, or simply the fact that you don’t know how to begin.
What I do in the first session is mainly to listen and ask questions, so that I can understand how you work, not how someone ‘should’ work. Towards the end, I’ll tell you what I’ve understood and where I’d start from, in simple terms, and you’ll tell me whether it sounds like you or not. If it doesn’t, we’ll change direction – not you.
I’m not asking you to make a decision right at the end. The therapy I offer doesn’t have a set number of sessions, so I can’t promise you that ‘it’ll be sorted in eight sessions’ – nor do I want to. We’ll continue for as long as it makes sense, checking in from time to time to see how we’re getting on, and you can stop at any time, without needing to give any explanation.
If you need breaks, the camera switched off, to write rather than speak, or a slower pace, please let me know right from the start. It’s not an exception that can be negotiated; it’s simply the way I work.
The first step
Ready to get started?
The first step is a chat. Let’s see if we’re a good fit.
The first consultation (30 minutes) is free of charge and comes with no obligation.
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