Hello
I'm
Vasilina
About me
My approach is integrative, grounded in person-centred and humanistic values, with a focus on helping clients develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their experiences. I draw on different ways of working depending on what feels most useful, combining reflective exploration with gentle curiosity and thoughtful questioning to help make sense of patterns, struggles and the influences of past experiences.
I aim to support clients in living with greater intentionality by creating space to examine beliefs, assumptions and ways of thinking that may have gone unchallenged for a long time. Together, we explore what is happening beneath the surface and consider what changes, insights or practical approaches might support the client’s goals. I particularly enjoy working with concerns around self-esteem, self-worth, perfectionism and identity.
What can clients expect when working with you?
I aim to create a warm, accepting and empathetic environment where clients feel safe enough to explore difficult experiences openly and honestly. Building a strong therapeutic relationship is central to how I work. I see therapy as a collaborative process, where we work together to understand your experiences and make sense of what you are going through.
I am responsive to each client’s needs and pace, while also offering gentle challenge when it feels important for growth and change. My approach balances support with thoughtful exploration, helping clients feel both held and encouraged in their process.
I work affirmatively with LGBTQIA+ clients and maintain an anti-discriminatory approach across all aspects of my practice.
What is unique about how you work with clients?
One of the things that shapes my work is a strong analytic ability and close attention to detail, which helps me stay deeply attuned to each client’s process. I value being fully present in sessions and following clients carefully as they explore their thoughts, feelings and experiences.
My professional journey has included a wide range of roles and settings, from volunteering in mental health support groups and research, to residential mental health support, NHS primary care, and work across NHS staff psychology services, university counselling and the charity sector. I intentionally sought broad experience across different settings and client groups, which has strengthened my belief in tailoring therapy to the individual rather than relying on fixed approaches.
Several experiences have been especially influential in shaping how I practise. Seeing the value of giving clients the freedom to explore at their own pace reinforced for me the importance of not forcing progress but allowing change to unfold organically. My work in primary care, where support options did not always meet people’s needs, deepened my commitment to an integrative, personalised way of working. My own experience of therapy has also informed my practice, strengthening my belief that people cannot be neatly placed into categories.
Life is often complex and messy, and therapy can be a space to make sense of that together.
I can work with...
Anxiety (all types)
Depression
Stress
Workplace difficulties/ burnout
Self-Esteem
Perfectionism
Identity
Grief / Loss
Relationship difficulties
Trauma
My qualifications
Doctorate in Counselling Psychology (currently in progress)
Psychology (BSc)
Low Intensity CBT (PGCert)
MBACP (Member of the British Association for Counselling)
Research expertise
My research is focused on grief and trauma after bereavement, and I can provide a space to make sense of this incredibly complicated experience.
My previously published research was on eyewitness memory and the way trauma can impact this:
Brewin, C. R., Li, H., Ntarantana, V., Unsworth, C., & McNeilis, J. (2019). Is the public understanding of memory prone to widespread “myths”? Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 148(12), 2245-2257.
Brewin, C. R., Li, H., McNeilis, J., & Ntarantana, V. (2020). On Repression, and Avoiding Red Herrings. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 149(10), 2001–2004.
Fees
£80 per session. I am available to offer a free consultation.