Elaine Scola

About me

I believe therapy can offer a safe space for self-discovery that provides you with an opportunity to creatively discover how you want to live.

My experience is a combination of training and working with young people and adults. I was trained as an integrative psychotherapist and counsellor, meaning I learnt from various schools of thought such as existentialism, person-centred, and post-modernism. I am particularly inclined to listen to how an individual describes their world, as I believe each person experiences life in a unique way that can rarely be communicated to someone else. For instance, if someone is experiencing depression, in my view it is helpful to attentively listen to their own experience, as opposed to assuming that we all experience it in the same manner.

Before becoming a psychotherapist, I worked extensively with individuals facing challenges such as severe mental health illnesses intertwined with drug and alcohol addiction. Through this work I learnt how we can feel powerless and unable to change circumstances. As a psychotherapist, I have been fortunate to work in settings with clients from the most varied backgrounds, who came to therapy for many reasons, including the breakdown of a relationship, grieving, anxiety about their relationships and careers.

As much as family and friends may want to help their loved ones in such a situation, it can be challenging as it can put undue stress on their relationship. A professional relationship can be effective as the involvement is of a different quality. It could also be said that a therapeutic environment can offer elements that are conducive to a helpful conversation; it provides a confidential, non-judgemental and reliable professional relationship that can endure a difficult conversation.

To innovate it is important to look into our beliefs and I can facilitate that process.

For couples:

My experience working with couples has included the following: emotional and physical intimacy difficulties, separation/divorce - including couples with children, infidelity, grieving and excessive use of anger.

I can facilitate a dialogue when communication has broken down, with the aim of re-establishing a common ground to resolve the issue. I appreciate how difficult it may be to open up to a third person, and I will endeavour to make this process as comfortable as possible by checking in with both of you throughout our sessions.

Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have about my work or to book an appointment.