— Galia Georgieva

Psychotherapist

A psychopathology and trauma-informed practice grounded in evidence-based therapy and long-term relational work

A practice built on clinical evidence

/ Work Experience

Conducting clinical practice with the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT), the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children), UK school and educational settings, non-governmental organisations, and private settings has shown me that, regardless of whether someone presents with anxiety, depression, trauma, neurodiversity, emotional dysregulation, or another mental health difficulty, there is often a common thread beneath their distress. People frequently ask themselves

How can I know and accept myself when the person I present to the world feels different from the person I long to be?

Or when I feel I am being myself, but that self is not accepted, understood or safely received by others?

Different therapeutic approaches understand this struggle in different ways. Gestalt therapy may describe it as fragmentation of self and unfinished business. Psychodynamic therapy explores the relationship between the ego and defence mechanisms. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy considers the influence of core beliefs and schemas. Person-centred therapy speaks of incongruence between our lived experience and our sense of self. While the language differs, many approaches recognise that psychological distress often develops when we become disconnected from ourselves while trying to survive life's challenges.

My practice is grounded in developmental psychology and informed by evidence-based therapeutic approaches. I am also informed by contemporary understanding of psychopathology, allowing me to formulate psychological difficulties while always seeing the individual beyond any diagnosis.

I do not believe people are broken and need fixing.

Rather, I believe people adapt in remarkable ways to survive difficult experiences.

Therapy is not about becoming someone else; it is about understanding yourself more deeply, strengthening your emotional resilience, and developing the confidence to live in a way that is authentic, compassionate and sustainable.

Whether your experiences relate to trauma, neurodiversity, emotional regulation, mental health difficulties, relationships or life transitions, I believe every person deserves to feel accepted, understood and whole.

I believe psychotherapy is a unique support system because it intentionally offers at least one protected hour each week in which you are free to be yourself without being defined by the roles you fulfil, the expectations of the world, or the need to adapt in order to belong. It is through repeatedly experiencing yourself in this accepting, non-judgemental relationship that your connection with yourself can deepen, allowing confidence, resilience and authenticity to grow beyond the therapy room.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS. DIPLOMAS. PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES

  • LLM

  • BSc in Psychology

  • Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Level 4)

  • Diploma in Children’s Therapy

  • Diploma in Depression Counselling

  • Diploma in Neuroplasticity

  • Diploma in Jungian Psychotherapy

  • Diploma in Secondary Education (Humanities) — Psychology, History, and Philosophy

MENTAL HEALTH

  • Certificate in Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counselling

  • Certificate in Working with Anxiety

  • Certificate in Trauma, Anxiety and Mental Health

  • Certificate in Working with Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

  • Certificate in Human Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom

  • Certificate in Mental Health Awareness: hearing voices, psychotic episodes, hallucinations, treatments, Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007), personality disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, counselling

  • Certificate in Autism Awareness

  • Certificate in Awareness of Mental Health, Dementia, and Learning Disabilities

  • Certificate in Working with Challenging Behaviour

ATTACHMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Certificate in Attachment Therapy

  • Certificate in Play Therapy (Children)

  • Certificate in Family and Couple Relationships

  • Certificate in Working with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Hypnotherapy with Children and Adolescents

ADDICTION, SUBSTANCE USE AND RECOVERY

  • Certificate in Addiction: Neuroscience and Recovery Therapy

  • Certificate in Addiction: From Heroin to Workaholism — A Biopsychosocial Perspective

  • Certificate in Alcohol Misuse: diagnosis and dual diagnosis, abstinence and harm reduction, relapse and recovery, individual and group support

  • Certificate in Drug Misuse:
    GHB, benzodiazepines, hallucinogens (LSD, psilocybin), inhalants, opioids, heroin, methadone, steroids, stimulants (amphetamines, ecstasy), cocaine and crack cocaine, nicotine, anaesthetics, PCP, ketamine, cannabinoid substances; caring for drug users; treatment, intervention, detoxification, diagnosis, and dual diagnosis

  • Certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for Changing Addictive Behaviour

SAFEGUARDING AND DUTY OF CARE

  • Certificate in Safeguarding and Protection of Adults

  • Certificate in Children Safeguarding

  • Certificate in Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults: abuse and neglect, criminal offences, rights violations, emotional and psychological abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial and material abuse, institutional abuse, domestic abuse, modern slavery

  • Certificate in Risk Assessment and Risk Management

  • Certificate in Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)

  • Certificate in Mental Capacity, Court of Protection, Advance Decisions, and IMCA Advocacy

  • Certificate in Anti-Radicalisation and PREVENT Awareness (Schools)

CLINICAL PRACTICE, COMMUNICATION AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

  • Certificate in Care Planning and Assessment: assessing care plans, continuity of care, promoting best interests

  • Certificate in Assessing Needs

  • Certificate in Safe Administration of Medicines

  • Certificate in Equality and Diversity

  • Certificate in Confidentiality and Information Governance

  • Certificate in Documentation and Record Keeping

  • Certificate in Data Protection, including GDPR

  • Certificate in Effective Communication: verbal and non-verbal communication, effective listening

  • Certificate in Conflict Management

SPECIALIST MODULES

  • Psychopathology (British Psychological Society accredited)

  • Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Psychology

  • Psychology Across Time and Cultures

  • Mechanisms of the Mind: emotion, perception and vision, thinking and reasoning, attention, social cognition

  • Cognitive and Biological Explanations of Behaviour: neuronal communication, basic genetics and evolution, ADHD

  • Psychological Interventions: families and parenting, psychology of education, psychosexual relationship therapy, counselling for depression

  • Individual Differences: intelligence, emotional intelligence, psychometric scales, theories of personality, psychopathy, narcissism, Machiavellianism, trait theories, cognitive and motivational factors

  • Developmental Psychology: Development across Lifespan

  • Social Psychology: Social and Cultural Explanations of Behaviour

  • Humanistic and Person-Centred Therapy

  • Psychodynamic Therapy

  • Gestalt Therapy

  • Transactional Analysis Therapy

  • Forensic Sciences

  • Legal Psychology

  • Family Law and Child Mediation

  • Criminal Law, Crime Psychology and Criminology

  • Understanding Violence (Forms, Types and Reasons)

  • Organisation of Human Rights Bodies

  • Court-Appointed Expert Reports and Forensic Expert Evidence

  • Rhetoric and Advocacy Skills

  • Penal Enforcement

  • Political and Legal Doctrines

/ Qualifications

Before you decide

Free Initial Consultation

Before we begin working together, I offer a complimentary 15-minute initial phone consultation.

This is an opportunity for us to discuss your reasons for seeking therapy, answer any questions you may have, and explain how I work.

Please complete the form below to request your complimentary 15-minute initial consultation.

/ Get in touch

All enquiries are treated in the strictest confidence.

The information you provide will not be shared with anyone without your explicit consent, except where I have a legal or professional duty of care to do so.

If you do not proceed with therapy, your personal information will be securely deleted in accordance with my data retention policy.