Welcome, I am so glad you are here.

My name is Alena, and I hold a degree in Humanistic and Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy from The Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute.

I am also a registered member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and abide by their code of ethics.

I offer compassionate, trauma-informed support to individuals seeking healing, personal growth, and emotional resilience. Whether you're navigating a specific life challenge, such as grief or existential issue, processing deep-rooted trauma, or simply longing for greater self-understanding, you're not alone — and you don’t have to walk this path by yourself.

I offer a supportive, compassionate space where you can feel truly heard and understood.

I work in person in Derby and Nottingham, as well as online sessions with clients throughout the UK.

What does counselling look like with me?

Through 50-minute weekly sessions, I create a compassionate and non-judgmental space where clients feel safe to explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences.

My approach is client-centred, meaning that I honour your unique perspective and pace, working collaboratively to support your healing and growth.

You are the expert in your own life. I am here to walk alongside you with empathy and respect to explore your challenges, discover your inner strength and grow towards wholeness.

My work is deeply rooted in humanistic values, which prioritise respect, empathy, and the inherent worth of every individual.

At the heart of my practice is the belief that healing occurs in the context of relationship—both the therapeutic relationship we create together and your relationship with yourself.

By addressing relational needs, cultivating self-awareness, and exploring the connection between body and mind, I aim to support you on your journey toward a deeper understanding of yourself, greater resilience, self-compassion, self-acceptance, and overall well-being.

What I can help with

  • Grief Work, including bereavement by suicide

  • Trauma Recovery

  • Nervous System Regulation

  • Emotional Regulation

  • Anxiety & Stress

  • Neurodiversity

  • Low Self Esteem

  • Body awareness

  • Coping Skills

  • Menopause & Women’s Issues

  • Life Transitions — middle age challenges & search for identity

  • Long Life Limiting Illness & Chronic Pain

  • Finding Meaning & Purpose in Life

  • Relationship Challenges & Family Conflict

A Bit More About Me

Having worked in healthcare, social care and holistic wellbeing for over 30 years, I bring a deep understanding of human resilience, vulnerability, and compassion to my work as a psychotherapist. My background includes qualifications in midwifery, personal care assistant, yoga teacher, and embodied therapies, which continue to shape how I support others — with attuned presence, empathy, and a respect for the wisdom of the body.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with diverse communities and drawing on different cultural perspectives. Originally from Eastern Europe before moving to the UK, I bring a lived experience of cultural identity, belonging, and transition, which supports my work.

My path to becoming a counsellor and psychotherapist was shaped by my own experience of loss and grief. This turning point led me to explore healing more deeply and showed me the importance of being truly seen in my pain and supported. Through this, I came to appreciate the transformative power of therapy and the value of a safe, trusting therapeutic relationship.

​​Outside of therapy, I am a long-time yoga practitioner and teach a weekly online class for my community. I also continue to work part-time as a massage therapist, which keeps me connected to the importance of embodiment. I find deep nourishment in nature,  and I love travelling and exploring different cultures, experiences that continue to broaden my perspective and deepen my empathy.

It’s an honour to walk alongside clients as they reconnect with themselves, discover their inner strength, and move toward a fuller, more grounded way of being. You don’t need to have all the answers — only the willingness to take the first step.

Mind-Body Connection

I believe we are so much more than our physical bodies. We are mental, emotional, and spiritual beings — and healing means tending to all parts of ourselves and nurturing the connection between them.

I see the mind–body connection as a bridge to healing. Our bodies hold memories, emotions, and experiences that words alone can’t always reach. When we go through loss, trauma, stress, or anxiety, it shows up physically — in tightness, shallow breathing, exhaustion, or disrupted sleep. Even when the moment has passed, the body can still carry its echo, keeping us on alert or stuck in survival mode.

That’s why I weave body-based practices into therapy. Mindfulness, breath-work, guided relaxation, and somatic yoga help to regulate the nervous system, release tension, and restore a sense of safety and balance.

You can understand cognitively why you feel the way you do, and still not feel emotionally any better. True healing happens when the body and mind work together. Everyone deserves to feel safe, steady, and whole again — not just in your thoughts, but in your entire being.

Qualifications

  • BSc (Hon’s) Humanistic & Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy (Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute)

  • Somatic Trauma Therapy Training with Babette Rothschild (ongoing 2025–2026)

  • Yin Yoga Teacher Training (Yoga Alliance, 2025)

  • Level 3 Counselling Skills (SPTI, 2022)

  • 300 Hrs Yoga Teacher Training (Yoga Alliance, Bali, 2019)

  • Yoga Nidra Immersion (Yoga Campus, 2019)

  • Reiki Master Teacher (UK, 2017)

  • Restorative Yoga Teacher Training (Yoga Campus, 2016, 2021)

  • 200 Hrs Yoga Teacher Training (Yoga Alliance, UK, 2015)

  • NVQ Level 3 in Social Care (Derbyshire Social Services,2012)

  • Level 3 Diploma in Complementary Therapies (EMC Derby, 2005)

  • Level 5 Diploma in Midwifery (Czech Republic, 1990)

Training

  • Domestic Abuse & Bereavement (Treetops Hospice, 2025)

  • Working with Neurodiversity (UKCN, 2024)

  • Trauma and the Body (UKCN, 2024)

  • Suicide Awareness & Mental Health (Harmless/Treetops Hospice ,2024)

  • Working with Children & Young Adults - 2024

  • Trauma Informed Practice (Treetops Hospice, 2024)

  • Attachment Styles and Bereavement (Treetops Hospice, 2024)

  • Working with Life-Limiting Illness (Treetops Hospice, 2024)

  • Working Creatively with the Body (Dr. David Tune, 2024)

  • Somatisation of Distress (Janus CPD, 2024)

  • Fist Aid Training (St.John Ambulance, 2023)

  • Group Volunteer Training (Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide, 2022)

  • Yoga for Kids & Families Teacher Training (Rainbow Kids Yoga ,2020)

  • Safeguarding Training (DCC, 2012)

  • Advanced Qigong Healing (D.J.Lee, 2012)

  • Mental Health Awareness (Framework, 2009)

Ready to take the next step?

Contact me for a 20-minutes free initial consultation to find out if we want to work together.

Wednesdays in Elephant Rooms,
Derby, DE72 3PP

 

Thursdays in Sage Therapy Centre, Nottingham, NG8 5GS