Elvira Karanja

I currently have online sessions available on Tuesdays PM and Wednesdays AM/PM.

Seeking therapy can bring up many complex feelings. This may be because the process of finding a therapist can feel confusing and overwhelming, but also due to the personal circumstances that have led you to consider therapy. It may be that you have a specific area of your life you would like to understand or seek help with, or have a general curiosity about yourself, and feel that this is the right time to begin that journey.

As an experienced psychodynamic psychotherapist, I offer a safe, trusting and consistent space that allows you to explore your experiences and how they currently affect you and your relationships with others and the world. I’ll encourage and support you to bring your full self, so we can make sense of any complex feelings and emotions.

I have worked in community organisations and the NHS, supporting people experiencing different levels of depression, anxiety, complex loss, low self esteem, complex trauma, abuse, self harm, relationship issues, anger, helplessness, etc. I also work with people who are generally curious about themselves and want to gain deeper insight about themselves. 

I have a masters degree in psychodynamic counselling and psychotherapy. I hold an undergraduate degree in psychology and a postgraduate certificate in counselling and psychotherapy.

Open Ended Therapy:

The psychodynamic approach looks to focus on how current issues may have originated from the past or earlier experiences i.e how your past affects your current situation. Understanding this helps facilitate long term change. Working in an open-ended way provides the time and space for deeper exploration of issues and their unconscious origins and manifestations. It gives us the opportunity to think together in a safe and contained way.

Time-Limited Therapy:

Psychodynamic psychotherapy can also work in a time limited way and I offer this in the form of 12 week sessions. This works by providing a specific area or focus in the work, for instance specific to a relationship problem, work, etc.

Following a 15 minute free consultation, I offer an initial consultation. During this, we can discuss your reasons for seeking therapy in more depth and the options available for proceeding with therapy. In this session I will ask more questions about your background and history so I am able to get a sense of who you are and how we can work together.

After the initial session, we will commence with regular sessions that last 50 minutes and take place on the same day and time each week. I reserve your time slot exclusively for you as part of my commitment to the work.