What would you like for yourself?
Satisfying relationships?
A deeper understanding and acceptance of yourself?
Being seen and accepted by others?
Living your life the way you want even when the world expects something else from you?
Emotional health is not about feeling happy all the time.
It is, at least for me, about having fulfilling relationships with others, finding your place in the world – that may not always be on your side – and experiencing a full range of emotions. It is about understanding, respecting, and trusting yourself. It is about knowing who you are and liking yourself. Right now, you may not be quite there, but if this is where you want to get I am ready to help you on your way.
Psychotherapy with Malgorzata Milewicz, Counselling Psychologist (HCPC) and Integrative Psychotherapist (UKCP)
Many therapists offer a variety of expertise and it is important to find someone who would offer what you need and who may be the right person for you.
I may be the right therapist for you if…
You struggle with your feelings or find relationships challenging.
You learnt earlier in life, either within your family or at boarding school you need to be strong and just get on with life (and leave psychotherapy for people who have ‘real problems’).
You see that while the way you were brought up helped you in life it may also make some things more challenging.
You find feeling things unsettling or even threatening and believe that it is somewhat safer or better not to feel.
You just don’t feel much or feel like your feelings are not real or yours.
You tend to judge your feelings as either right or wrong/good or bad.
You’re struggling with past traumatising or challenging experiences.
There is a significant difference between the way you present yourself to others and the way you feel about yourself.
You’re struggling because others – or the world at large – are not accepting who you are.
You’re looking for the objective reason for your difficulties and either cannot find it, or finding it doesn’t change the way you feel.
You feel that because there was no massive trauma in your life therapy would be self-indulgent.
I work in a relational way and I am interested in how you relate to yourself, people in your life and to the wider world. As an integrative psychotherapist, I blend a number of established psychotherapeutic theories into a framework that is aligned with my values – meaning I walk my talk. My practice is informed by psychodynamic theories, attachment, neuroscience, trauma theories and existential values. I also consider the wider context in which we live as an important factor that impacts how we feel. These various contexts can support us or they can limit or even oppress us and I believe that it’s important to pay attention to these dynamics in psychotherapy.
What all that theory means in practice is that I am genuinely interested in who you are, what you think, what you feel and whether the way you present in the world is aligned with how you feel in private.
I am curious about how you got where you are and ready to support you to get where you want to be. If you are ready to start that process, email me to arrange an initial consultation.
Romantic – and other – relationships
Relationships are complex! Most people come to psychotherapy because they struggle with relationships. Finding them disappointing. Not having them. Losing themselves in them. Not knowing whether or how to end them.
You may find yourself repeating the familiar unsatisfactory relationship pattern that no longer serves you but is difficult to change.
You may struggle because you cannot meet a suitable partner or because you enter relationships that deep down you know are not good for you.
You may find it difficult to move on after an important relationship ended. This applies not only to romantic relationships but also to friendships, mentorships and so on.
You may grieve after the death of a loved one.
You may want to find a way to move forward within the relationship after an affair – either yours or your partner’s – or after the agreed relational boundaries were crossed in some other way.
You may like to have not only a full social diary but also close friends with whom you can be honest about how you feel.
You may like to understand and try to change relationships with siblings, parents or other family members.
Life transitions
Change may be an inevitable part of life but not all change is equal. Some life transitions are welcomed while others can be very challenging and experienced as a loss.
There are so many aspects of changing life that can be difficult: change to professional status, loss of health, facing uncertainty, ageing and growing older, menopause, or coming to terms with decisions that no longer can be reversed. It is possible to come to terms with those transitions and to find a new and rewarding way of living.
Living in the world
We all live in the wider world, and it has an impact on us. The world can be supportive or can affect us in adverse ways. It may be welcoming, or it may be indifferent or even oppressive. While psychotherapy would not change your environment, sharing your experiences in the world with someone who can truly hear you can be in itself liberating.
Too often we think or even feel that there is something wrong with us while the issue is not with us but with the rigid societal expectations. Exploring it with compassion and care can facilitate new and personal insights and finding a way of moving forward that is right for you.
Difference
In one way or another, we are all different from each other. However, some differences (race, gender, ethnicity, class, age, sexuality, a relationship/family status) are given much more weight than others and can shape our experiences in the world.
While we may have different lived experiences, psychotherapy is the space where we can openly engage with differences – how they manifest in the world and in the therapy room between us.
Loneliness and isolation
You can feel lonely among people and sadly this is an experience for a growing number of people. The world of instant connections can paradoxically be extremely isolating.
Being seen and met in our experience is one of the most fundamental human needs. For some people, the psychotherapeutic relationship is one of the very few places where that need is met. While it would not replace other meaningful relationships it can act as a springboard for creating them in the outside world.
Paying attention to the body
Our experiences, memories, and ways of being in the world are not held exclusively in our heads or brains. They are held in our bodies too. That procedural knowledge – the body’s way of knowing how to be in the world – cannot be always accessed through talking itself.
I pay attention to the embodied experiences and at times – if you are up for it – engage more directly with them. This way of processing can be particularly – but not exclusively – helpful if you have experienced trauma.
Supervision
While I’m a practised psychotherapist with experience of teaching in training programmes, my primary focus as a supervisor is on creating a relational and collaborative space where we both can reflect on the processes you hold with curiosity, courage, and care.
Areas I work with:
- Anxiety & Panic
- Bereavement & Grief
- Boarding school emotional issues
- Childhood Abuse
- Dissociation
- Difficulties in recognising/experiencing own feelings
- Depression
- Emotional numbness
- Family Conflict & Crisis Issues
- Feelings of emptiness
- Feelings of loneliness and problems with connecting with people
- Loss
- Relationship Issues
- Relational Trauma
- Self-Esteem & Confidence
- Sense of emotional disconnect
- Stress
Psychotherapy Qualifications and Training:
- Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Trauma Themes (Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute)
- Doctorate in Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy (Middlesex University, London)
- Postgraduate Clinical Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy (Metanoia Institute, London)
- Master’s degree in Social Clinical Psychology (University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw)
I’m a counselling psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and an integrative and relational psychotherapist registered with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).
These registrations confirm the quality of my training and professional skills so you can be sure you’re being offered high quality psychotherapy.
I have over ten years of post-qualification experience in providing psychotherapy. I also teach integrative psychotherapy and provide clinical supervision.
Professional Registration
I have a registered status with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
I am a registered member of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
For more about each of these organisations & about what qualifications mean … Any Questions?
Contact:
The best way to contact me is via email.
Rates and Practical Information:
Please inquire about the fees.
I offer psychotherapy in English & Polish
I accept Aviva and AXA PPP Healthcare insurance
Sessions:
Psychotherapy sessions at Gray’s Inn Therapy Rooms:
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
