Dr Valentina Mantica
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
During the Covid-19 crisis I will be offering phone and online video sessions to existing and new clients.
My philosophy
I am a Chartered Counselling Psychologist who truly believes that everybody is capable of making meaningful changes to their lives when they experience emotional difficulties, relationship problems, they are stuck or not happy with the way the live their life. The key to making changes is the motivation to explore and challenge oneself. People are the expert of their own experiences and I can be part of their journey leading to self-discovery and change.
I always strive to provide a safe, welcoming and non-judgmental environment to enable people to feel comfortable enough to share their difficulties with me and to work together to explore these in depth and find a way forward in order to overcome difficulties.
How therapy can help
I believe in the power of the therapeutic relationship and how this can in itself enable people to make changes or function as a base upon which various therapeutic tools can be learnt. I see therapy as a special human encounter where many dynamics that people experience in the outside world are similarly re-created. Therefore therapy gives people the chance to explore these dynamics in a way that is safe and they can then utilise their understanding, new learning and insight outside within their day to day relationships.
My approach
I am particularly interested in how people’s early and general life experiences affect their current relationships, feelings, thoughts, behaviours and current experiences. My approach can be defined as Integrative and Relational. This means that whilst using the therapeutic relationship as a base, I draw upon various evidence-based therapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Psychodynamic and Person-Centred Therapy. These approaches are commonly accepted and scientifically proven in our field. My therapeutic style is creative and always adapted to people’s needs. However sometimes working within one of these approaches over others will be more beneficial to some people. Everybody is different and my style will try to capture this.
What to expect in your first session
It is important that we both feel that we can work together, and therefore our first meeting can be our chance to explore this. It is fundamental that you work with someone who is right for you and you feel comfortable with. For this reason you do not need to commit to ongoing therapy when you make your first contact with me. The first session is an assessment, I will be asking you some general questions in order to begin to get an understanding of your problems and also of you as a person, and it is also your chance to get to experience how I work and ask me any questions. If we come to the agreement that we can go ahead with ongoing therapy we can then discuss a therapeutic contract.
Not sure about wanting to book a first session?
If you are searching for the right therapist and are unsure about whether to book a first session, I can offer you a first telephone appointment for 50 minutes free of charge. This can give you the chance to hopefully decide whether you want to book a first appointment with me with no commitment. You do not have to go through the first telephone appointment if you wish to book a first face-to-face session directly.
Services Provided
- I practice in the Shoreditch area within walking distance from Liverpool Street Station and Shoreditch High Street Station
- I offer short and long term face-to face therapy
- I provide therapy in both English and Italian languages
- I also provide supervision - I completed the full Supervisor Training delivered by the British Psychological Society (BPS).
- I can provide telephone and Skype therapy upon request.
Training, qualifications & experience
Professional Registrations
I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). I am also chartered by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and I hold full membership of the BPS division of Counselling Psychology.
Qualifications
- BCs in Psychology
- Practitioner Doctorate in Counselling Psychology (DPsych).
I am strongly committed to continuous professional development and often attend courses to keep myself up to date and acquire new skills. Example of some recent courses I attended are:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-Clinical Skills Building Intensive (Steve Hayes)
- Compassion Focused Therapy
- Supervision Skills Training (Part 1 to 4)( BPS)
- Motivational Interviewing
- CBT for Common Trauma Responses (BABCP)
- Cognitive Workshops (Christine Padesky): Anxiety Traps: CBT Antidotes
- Psychotherapy UK- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Depression
- Cognitive Workshops (Christine Padesky): Simplifying Personality Disorder Treatment: A New paradigm
Experience
I have spent the past several years working initially as a trainee and then as a qualified Counselling Psychologist (since 2012) in a range of environments, particularly within the National Health Service (NHS), but also within the private sector. I have extensive experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a wide variety of mental health difficulties and of different complexity and severity, including common mental health problems (e.g. depression, a range of anxiety disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), personality disorders, psychosis, depressive illness, personality difficulties, and adjustment disorders. This has involved short, medium and long -term episodes of treatment. I also gained experience of facilitating therapy groups for clients and carers, of designing psychoeducational and self-help programmes and of providing supervision and consultation.
I mainly worked in NHS Primary and Secondary care services such as IAPT services and Community Mental Health Teams. Prior to my Doctorate I worked in Inpatients Forensic Personality Disorders Service.
Currently I work as a senior psychologist in a Psychosis Service within a Community Mental Health Team in one of the main NHS Trusts in London, alongside my private practice.
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.
British Psychological Society
The HCPC are an independent, UK-wide health regulator. They set standards of professional training, performance and conduct for 16 professions.
They keep a register of health professionals who meet their standards, and they take action if registered health professionals fall below those standards. They were created by a piece of legislation called the Health Professions Order 2001.
Registration means that a health professional meets national standards for their professional training, performance and conduct.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
- Mental Health
- Adjustment Disorder
- Assertiveness
- Passive-aggressive behaviour
- Hearing Voices
Fees
£90.00 per session
Free initial telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Sessions are 50 minutes long
INITIAL 30 MINUTES TELEPHONE/0NLINE CONSULTATION: Free
FACE TO FACE, SKYPE OR TELEPHONE: £90
STUDENTS (Therapy and Supervision): sliding scale between £60 and £90 depending on circumstances
BMI HOSPITAL CLIENTS: £130
INSURANCE: I am registered with Insurance Healthcare Providers such as BUPA, AXA PPP, AVIVA, VITALITY.
CONCESSIONS: can sometimes be available upon discussion on a sliding scale for students, key workers, people with low income/financial difficulties or other particular circumstances.
When I work
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At present I am available for some day time and evening sessions on weekdays.
Further information
I work within the framework of the Code of Ethics and Conduct of the British Psychological Society (BPS), the Professional Practice Guidelines for Counselling Psychologists (BPS) and the Standards of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).