Elena Miari
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello, I am an experienced Psychotherapist and Counsellor, working full time in private practice. My specialisms are in ADHD and narcissistic abuse. I also have extensive experience working with binge eating, anxiety, depression, relationship problems and life transitions. I work in person and online, offering long term, short term and Single Session Therapy interventions. I work with individuals and couples.
If you're interested in learning more about my approach please feel free to reach out, and we can arrange an informal conversation.
Approach
While my approach is primarily Existential and Humanistic, it is informed by other therapeutic approaches such as Gestalt, Person Centred and Psychoanalysis.
The starting point of Existential Psychotherapy is your experience; this means that I focus on your unique experience of yourself and the world, and your meaning-making processes. We all have a natural inclination to find connections and make sense of life, but sometimes, in our attempts, we may tie things together that aren't truly linked. I like to call these connections 'obstructive meanings' or 'knots.' In our sessions, we'll work together to spot these knots, deconstruct them, and create healthier connections. The goal of therapy is to craft a narrative that resonates with you. As your therapist, I will actively participate in our sessions, helping you explore different perspectives of your life story.
Existential analysis is concerned with how we choose to approach life's challenges, dilemmas, and experiences, guiding us to recognize and transform any obstructive patterns in our lives. It's core objective is to elevate our awareness, enabling us to make informed decisions that lead to living an authentic life.
Existential psychotherapy is a relational approach, examining in detail our relationship patterns with ourselves (our bodies and lived experiences), others, and the world around us. Rather than viewing individuals in isolation, I see them within the rich context of the world they inhabit. This holistic perspective proves especially powerful in navigating relationship challenges, steering away from treating individuals in isolation and instead considering their place within the tapestry of relationships. This perspective makes Existential therapy particularly effective in addressing relationship difficulties, as it takes a holistic view of those relationships rather than treating the individual as an isolated entity that needs to be fixed. I find this approach particularly effective when addressing issues related to Narcissistic Abuse and ADHD.
When suitable I incorporate bodywork to facilitate trauma healing. Furthermore, I use inner child work to help clients become aware of their internal dialogues, understand the way that they relate with themselves and foster healthier self relationships.
Often our internal dialogues are contaminated by negative self talk. The objective of therapy would be to shed light in these internal dialogues, understand where they come from and how they came to be incorporated on our sense of self, and slowly start building a new, more self aware, inner voice.
I have a keen interest in working with clients with ADHD, and my approach isn't just about going through diagnostic criteria. Instead, I aim to help you grasp your unique experience and how it shapes your life story. Since ADHD varies widely and affects people in diverse ways, I guide my clients in understanding not only how they experience and embody the physical symptoms but also the psychological impact of growing up with undiagnosed ADHD.
I have extensive experience of supporting individuals dealing with eating disorders, particularly anorexia and binge eating. My approach treats disordered eating as a symptom of emotional difficulties rather than as their root cause. We will start by addressing the underlying difficulties that led to the eating disorder. Once we have a good grasp of this we will then start working towards addressing the symptom of disordered eating. Working existentially with eating disorders means that I will focus on your unique experience with food and try to understand what functions this has had in your life. That means taking into account any cultural, familial and personal meanings around food and unravel their layers. Often the eating disorder feels like something that is happening to us, an external force that leaves us completely disempowered. By gaining insights into its functions and origins, we can reclaim ownership and empower ourselves to reshape our relationship with food.
While Existential therapy has a philosophical foundation, it's not just about abstract ideas—it's practical and applicable to real-life situations. In essence, the Existential approach is a journey of self-exploration, embracing different ways of being, and integrating practical, real-world strategies into your therapeutic experience, all done with compassion and understanding.
I practice face to face from Blackheath (SE3), London Bridge (SE1) and online.
Training, qualifications & experience
MA in Psychosocial Studies - University of East London
PgDip in Counselling - University of West London
Certificate in ExIstential Psychotherapy - NSPC
BSc in Psychology - Middlesex University
Certificate in Bereavement counselling - Cruse Bereavement Care
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.
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
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
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£90.00 per session
Free initial online session
When I work
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Further information
FAQs
How do I start therapy with you?
You can reach out to me via email or phone to arrange an initial consultation. I will respond to you within 24 hours.
During the initial consultation we can discuss our respective availabilities, explore how I can support you, and address any questions you might have at this initial stage of exploring therapy. It's a chance for you to learn more about me and the therapeutic process in general, helping you decide if I am the right fit for you.
The initial consultation is free of charge and it typically lasts for up to 20 minutes. After that, you're under no obligation to continue.
Where is your practice located?
My practice is located in Blackheath Village, a five-minute walk from Blackheath Rail Station. This location is well connected to both South East and Central London with direct trains to and from London Bridge, Victoria, Cannon Street and Charing Cross. It is easily accessible by bus, walk or rail from Lewisham, Lee, Greenwich, Deptford, New Cross, Hither Green, Ladywell, Lee and the surrounding areas.
Additionally, I provide services from a second location near London Bridge, a mere 5-minute walk from the London Bridge station
What session options do you provide?
You can choose from in-person sessions or virtually over Zoom and telephone. If my availability allows it, I can also accommodate hybrid (a mix of face to face and virtual sessions. I offer both short-term and long-term psychotherapy, with sessions available on a weekly or fortnightly basis, tailored to your preferences and needs. Additionally, I offer Single Session Therapy (SST), which consists of a longer, one off session.
What is Single Session Therapy?
Single session therapy (SST) is a structured and focused approach, usually completed in one longer session. Together, we'll define the issue and aim at developing an actionable plan by the end of the session. This solution-focused approach is ideal for those seeking immediate support, that have specific issues to address or with limited resources or time for long-term therapy. You can find out more about SST here.
