About Me

Psychology has fascinated me since I was a teenager. I remember being amazed by how our minds work, how much of what we do is influenced by unconscious patterns, early experiences, and our relationships with others. Human nature is endlessly complex and beautiful, and I have always wanted to understand it more deeply.

Life, however, took me on a different path at first. Instead of studying psychology, I earned a degree in Philology and English Language Teaching and spent several years building a career in the humanitarian and corporate sectors, including with the World Bank and a multinational logistics company. Working across different countries and cultures gave me a rich understanding of people, how we think, adapt, and find meaning in diverse circumstances.

When my youngest child turned three, I began to reflect on what truly mattered to me. I realised that what had always drawn me in was people, their stories, struggles, and capacity for growth. So I decided to follow the path I had always wanted: to become a counselling psychologist.

I began my training in Malaysia, studying for a Master of Counselling at the International Medical University. It was an incredible experience, learning in a multicultural environment and exploring how culture shapes identity, emotion, and behaviour. When the pandemic began, I completed an additional qualification in Psychological First Aid with Public Health England, to better support people dealing with fear and loss during those uncertain times.

After relocating back to the UK, I continued my studies and earned an MSc in Psychology at St. Mary’s University, London. My research explored the lived experience of women caring for their partners after bone marrow transplants, a project that deepened my respect for human resilience and love in the face of suffering.

I went on to complete the COSCA Certificate in Counselling Skills and specialised training in counselling children and young people. These programmes gave me a strong foundation in empathetic communication, self-awareness, and relational depth, as well as the ability to connect with adolescents who may find it difficult to trust or open up.

Building on this foundation, I gained hands-on experience supporting people in crisis through my clinical placement at Anchor House and The Neuk Mental Health Crisis and Suicide Prevention Centre in Scotland. There, I worked with individuals experiencing acute distress, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression, and the effects of trauma and abuse. I also volunteered with Shout, a UK-based mental health text line, offering immediate support to people in emotional crisis. These experiences shaped my trauma-informed and compassion-focused approach, helping me stay grounded and present even in the most emotional situations.

Currently, I am continuing my professional development at the Academie voor Coaching & Counselling in the Netherlands, integrating practical coaching techniques with therapeutic depth. My main areas of interest are anxiety, panic attacks, and emotional regulation, and I am pursuing certification in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), which provides powerful tools for distress tolerance and emotional balance. I am also passionate about parenting support, helping parents reconnect with their children through empathy and emotional intelligence.

Another area close to my heart is working with people living with Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT). Having lived with SVT myself, I understand the fear and anxiety that often accompany it. I help clients find ways to manage these fears and regain a sense of safety and confidence in their bodies and lives.

Beyond my professional qualifications, I bring my own lived experience of expatriate life, having lived and worked across several countries. I know what it means to start over, adapt, and rebuild a sense of belonging far from home.

Today, I work with adults, young people, and parents in my private practice in The Hague, offering counselling and coaching in English and Russian. My approach is integrative, person-centered, and trauma-informed, combining evidence-based methods with genuine human connection. Above all, I believe in the healing power of empathy, authenticity, and self-understanding.