Mila Palma
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I'm the 'last chance' therapist that is parachuted into your war zone to help you stop the conflict that you've been stuck into for years, the one that can give you hope that the relationship can be saved, if only you find a way to reconnect... and I will help you become more attuned to your needs and those of the people you love!
What you should know about me is that I'm very passionate about helping people improve their relationships. The focus of my work, as individual and couple psychotherapist, has become over the years to help people change the way they relate, to become more emotionally open and attuned to themselves and their loved ones.
I found that many psychological problems that people experience, such as anxiety, stress, panic, lack of meaning, depression, trauma and post-traumatic stress, seem to alleviate if not disappear completely once people start having better relationships; not just with their partner (if they have one) but with their friends, family, as well as, fundamentally, with themselves.
Many of us grew up thinking that being ‘independent’ was good, and that needing others was not so good, but science (neuroscience in particular) increasingly confirms what John Bowlby (the father of attachment theory, one of my heroes) told us a long time ago: we need others to survive. Being dependent on others (being able to lean on others in times of need) is not just ok, but essential for our well-being!
I'm one of a very limited number of professionals in the UK to be Certified in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT) and this approach informs my work with couples. EFT is the gold standard of couple therapy, a very effective, evidence-based approach designed to help couples overcome conflict and distressing ways of relating by developing a stronger emotional connection (for more detailed descriptions of the approach, you will find a link at the bottom of the page with my articles on the subject). It's a short to medium term approach which works well for most couples and usually produces lasting positive changes in the relationship within 12-20 sessions.
I also offer Discernment Counselling, a short-term intervention designed for couples who are uncertain about the future of their relationship. It is particularly aimed at couples where one partner is considering ending the relationship while the other is still invested in it. This intervention helps couples gain clarity about what steps to take next in their relationship.
My therapeutic work with individual clients is primarily relational and informed by existential, humanistic and experiential modalities. I am also a Certified EFIT Therapist (Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy), a ground-breaking model that originated from Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples and adapted its principles for individual therapy, with particularly high success rates in helping clients with depression, anxiety, trauma and relationship problems.
I work with respect and cultural humility with clients from different cultural backgrounds, ethnicity and sexual orientations.
I have a lot of experience in helping couples in cross-cultural relationships and expats in the UK and abroad. I even have first hand-experience, as I'm part of a cross-cultural family and lived away from my country of birth for most of my adult life.
As a mother of three children, including twins, I’m also well versed in supporting new parents through the inevitable turmoil of this important life transition, as well as supporting couples who started to struggle in their relationship after having children.
You'll find more information about my work on my website www.therapytime.co.uk if needed, or just get in touch!
Training, qualifications & experience
Certificate in Clinical Supervision CSTD London
EFT Supervisor Candidate ICEEFT, Ottawa, Canada
Certified Emotionally Focused Couple Therapist (EFCT) ICEEFT, Ottawa, Canada
Certified Emotionally Focused Individual Therapist (EFIT) ICEEFT, Ottawa, Canada
MA in Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling
New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling, London / Sheffield University
Foundation Certificate in Psychotherapy and Counselling
Regent's School of Psychotherapy and Counselling, London
Magistral Degree in Psychology of the Arts/DAMS
University of Bologna, Italy
Registered/Accredited with UKCP (one of the most rigorous professional bodies in the UK, registration requires completing a 4-year postgraduate study, completing 450 clinical hours pre-qualification, and completion of a minimum of 160 hours of personal therapy).
Lifetime Member of ICEEFT
(International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy, Ottawa)
Member of British EFT Centre
Past clinical positions held:
- NHS Clinical Team Leader at The Awareness Centre London
- Counsellor at the Retail Trust charity, London
- Psychotherapist at St. Thomas Hospital, London
- Counsellor at BUPA Psychological Services, London
- Bereavement Counsellor at Wandsworth Bereavement Service, London
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
- Mid-life crisis.
- loss of meaning/ lack of direction.
- Fear of ageing and dying.
- Cultural identity issues.
- Sense of isolation and loneliness.
- Supporting victims of narcissistic abuse/ partners of people displaying traits of NPD (narcissistic personality disorder).
- Maternity issues including expecting and parenting twins and multiples, post-natal depression.
Therapies offered
Fees
£130.00 - £150.00
Additional information
Standard individual and couple therapy sessions last 50 minutes
When I work
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I work weekdays from 9:30am to 3pm
