Bistra Slavkova

Current availability

– Mondays between 8am and 6pm

– Friday between 4pm and 6pm

– Saturday between 9am and 12pm

As a qualified and registered Psychotherapeutic counsellor I focus on empowering children and teenagers to cope with the challenges of growing up. Anxiety, stress, academic pressure, feelings of hopeless, sadness or isolation, family and peer conflict can affect children and young people in many ways. I provide a compassionate therapeutic space where they can explore, and process heavy feelings, bringing healing and developing coping strategies for the future. 

My Integrative approach includes: 

- A Strengths-Based perspective to therapy based on Carl Rogers’ three basic attitudes of empathy, acceptance and genuineness , as well as respectful curiosity, towards the client’s lives and stories they tell. The strengths-based mode focuses on the client’s strengths, skills and resources, and works through establishing an alliance, elaborating strengths and concentrating on the client’s goals and wishes.

- Art and Play interventions used to improve self-esteem and self-awareness, to nurture emotional intelligence and resilience, to improve social skills. Also used to encourage permissions to play and existence, spontaneity and curiosity, as well as creativity, which is vital for authenticity and reaching autonomy. 

- A Transactional Analysis outlook on developing self-awareness and mindfulness, the client changes their state of mind and behaviour from a dysfunctional script to redecision and healthier coping, reaching autonomy.

- A Humanistic Psychology view, emphasising the individuals’ inherit drive towards self-actualisation, encouraging creativity, free will, personal responsibility, self-exploration and positive human potential. 

Driven by a passion for supporting young individuals, I uphold principles of empathy, trust, and confidentiality in my counselling approach.

I have worked with a diverse range of clients, helping numerous children and families navigate through their challenges.

My therapy approach is integrative, incorporating techniques from various therapeutic modalities to best suit the needs of each individual young person.

Qualifications and Work Experience

Diploma - Children and Young People Psychotherapeutic Counselling - The Northern Guild

BSc (Hons) Child Development Psychology - London South Bank University

Early Intervention Children and Family Wellbeing Practitioner at the Anna Freud Centre

Clinical Practice on Placement with Place2Be

Clinical Practice on Placement with Tsunami Counselling (Ark Schools and Dukes Education)

I provide a Free 30-minute Consultation, online via Zoom or over the phone, designed to discuss the needs of your child and provide next steps advice.

Next steps and Fees:

Initial Assessment

£75 fixed fee for approximately 1.5 hours long assessment

– both parents and children must attend

– online or in person (£90 for home visits)

– includes summary of assessment and proposed treatment plan sent via email up to 5 working days after the assessment.

Psychotherapeutic Counselling Packages

12 sessions (3 months long intervention) – £60 per session/ or £75 if on Saturday

16 sessions (4 months long intervention) – £60 per session/ or £75 if on Saturday

£50 for parent review mid intervention – 30 mins long