Irina Counselling
LLM DipHIC MBACP
Hello and welcome to a sanctuary
where courage meets compassion,
and the search for well-being begins
I am Irina, a dedicated Humanistic Integrative therapist, and I commend you for the bravery it takes to seek support. I am passionate about helping people find balance and meaning in their lives.
Your path to healing and growth could start here.
I provide one-to-one Humanistic and Integrative counselling for adults in central Bristol (Queen Square and Redcliffe) as well as online sessions for clients based anywhere.
I offer a free 30 minute online intro session to discuss the prospect of working together.
When you feel overwhelmed, anxious, angry, sad, lost, unfocused, disconnected, remorseful, lonely, spiralling on your thoughts or hooked on certain behaviours, it can be helpful to have someone supportive alongside you, to help you feel what you can not bear to feel alone. The pain might feel easier when someone else knows how it hurts. If you feel that the support offered by a friend or family member is too much for them, or not enough for you, counselling provides a safe space where you can access an understanding than runs deeper than words.
I've personally experienced the difference that having a non-judgemental and empathic therapist beside me can make and I would like to offer that back. I learned that it takes courage to put your vulnerability on the line. However, there was something powerful about feeling exposed and completely accepted at the same time, an experience that had a profound positive impact. It reminded me of what Maya Angelou once said, namely that "there is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.
Being seen and heard is essential to emotional and psychological well-being. It validates our humanity, fosters connection, and creates an environment for healing and growth.
The results of therapy can be immensely rewarding, transformative, empowering and can lead to shifts in the way we feel about ourselves and others. It often involves the consideration of whether there are any changes we might make to improve our quality of life, finding a deeper, more fulfilling connection with oneself and others.
At the heart of my practice lies the belief that therapy is not just about talking; it's about discovering, understanding, integrating and transforming. This can be an opportunity to rewrite the story of your True Self. I place great value on the therapeutic relationship, working with you in mind, and I believe that "The quality of our relationships determines the quality of our lives" (Esther Perel). The journey of therapy is a collaborative one, where together, we build a relationship that becomes the cornerstone of meaningful change.
My role as your therapist is to support you throughout this journey, guiding your self-discovery and helping you gain deeper understanding as you work toward realising your full potential.
Whether you're struggling with relationships, low self-esteem, or past trauma, I am here to help.
My practice is a safe, affirming space for people of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences.
“Maybe the journey isn't so much about becoming anything. Maybe it's about un-becoming everything that isn't really you, so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place.” (Paulo Coelho)
There is hope
Psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud emphasised that we often remain stuck in distress because we
continue to find the same solutions to the problems we hope to overcome, unconsciously reenacting past traumas or behaviours.
The good news is that there is robust scientific evidence showing that our mind and brain have an extraordinary ability to change and grow through a process called neuroplasticity.
Dr. Dan Siegel, a pioneer in the field of interpersonal neurobiology, highlights the connection between therapy and neuroplasticity, illustrating how nurturing relationships and therapeutic interventions can reshape neural pathways, fostering emotional resilience, mental well-being, and deeper self-awareness.
Similarly, in the 'Neuroscience of psychotherapy', Louis Cozolino highlights the fact that therapy can be a catalyst for such change, as the human brain grows in response to challenges and new learning created within enriched environment.
l like to work with the concept of "evolving", rather than focusing solely on change, and strive to support clients as they navigate their journey of growth and transformation.
Counselling can help you to gather the strengths and skills needed to overcome a range of difficulties, such as anxiety, stress, depression, burnout, unhealthy and often self-destructive behaviours, relationship difficulties or significant life changes. Perhaps there is something that you can’t quite define, but makes you feel down, lost, disconnected, or empty.
Healing takes time but you don't have to do it all alone. I believe that when we are truly listened to, guided empathetically and non-judgementally, we can access our own answers through our own inner-wisdom.
About counselling
Counselling provides a supportive space where you can discover peace, cultivate clarity, and uncover a deeper sense of purpose.
As an integrative therapist, I believe that therapy should be tailored to meet your unique needs—there is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach. My goal is to help you explore what’s causing you distress and to support you in making meaningful changes, empowering you to navigate life’s challenges with greater compassion and ease.
I will encourage you to talk about your feelings and take responsibility for your thoughts and actions.
By empowering you to take charge of your life, and preserving your autonomy, we'll focus on building confidence in your ability to handle challenges.
Focusing on a range of concerns, from anxiety, trauma, grief, depression, guilt, shame - to identity, and self-perception issues, my practice is a testament to the diversity of human experience. I am particularly drawn to the exploration of identity, sense of self, and the richness of diversity, believing strongly in the uniqueness of each individual's story.
Through our work together we’ll explore your story with empathy and curiosity, aiming to really understand what's happened to you in the past, and how this might be affecting your present, seeking steps to move away from the footprint of trauma in your life.
About me
I have secured my counselling diploma from the Bath Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy- level 6 equivalent, which has a dual accreditation with BACP and UKCP. These are the leading professional organisations supporting counsellors in the UK.
As a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, I comply with their Ethical Framework.
I am a recognised healthcare provider for WPA, a leading healthcare insurer.
I also hold a Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) certificate from Oxford Mindfulness Foundation and have studied law (LL.M).
As a counsellor, I've worked with a generous range of people including those experiencing negative self-perception, fragile sense of self, depression, relationship trauma, shame, guilt, personal boundary issues, anxiety, terminal illness, loss, addiction, social stigma or discrimination.
My path to becoming a therapist was inspired by my own experiences and the transformative impact of empathic, compassionate and non-judgmental support. With a background in law and further training at BCPC, I bring a unique blend of analytical skills and emotional intelligence to my practice.
Outside the therapy room, I enjoy travelling and connecting with nature. I am passionate about capturing life’s moments through photography and pursuing a mindful way of living. One thing that I’ve learned over the years is that we can travel many places but there is no place like the home of our own true self, the most amazing world to explore.
Getting started
I’d love to hear from you and explore how I can support you on your journey.
Feel free to reach out by completing the contact form below if you have any questions or would like to arrange an initial free appointment.
In our initial online session, we’ll discuss what brings you to therapy, what you hope to explore, and your goals for the therapeutic process.
If we both feel that we’re a good fit, we can then agree on a regular weekly time to meet.
"Counselling with Irina has been such a positive experience and has supported my growth in the last year. It allowed me to take back control and I believe it allowed me to also take a step back and think about what I wanted to achieve in my life."
"The whole experience has helped me improve many of the most important relationships in my life, boosted my self-esteem, and provided me with tools to manage how I react to changes in circumstances, something I’ve always struggled with.”
“Therapy with Irina has helped me be more mindful overall as well as teaching me strategies for coping better overall with everyday life. Just to say thank you very much for helping me in my time of much need.”
"Such an amazing experience doing therapy with you, thank you so much. I really understand myself better and think about it often, which helps me a lot.”
"Counselling with you allowed me to explore areas of myself I wouldn’t have been able to on my own as you asked questions and made connections I couldn’t see from where I was standing. It really was an invaluable experience and the things I learnt will stay with me forever."