Inka Männistö

Do you often feel like you don’t quite fit in?

Do you ever feel like there’s something about you that doesn’t quite fit with the world around you?

Perhaps you have always felt a little different. Maybe social situations leave you feeling anxious, overwhelmed or exhausted, and you find yourself overthinking what you said or how you came across. You might be naturally quiet or sensitive, or struggle to feel truly understood or accepted by the people around you.

Perhaps you’ve moved to the UK from another country and are navigating a new culture, or you’re trying to make sense of where you belong and who you are. Or maybe, on the outside, everything seems fine, but inside you often feel lonely, disconnected or like you are somehow not enough.

If any of this sounds familiar, please know that you are not alone.

I understand these experiences personally. I identify as an introvert and a highly sensitive person, and I have experienced the challenges of navigating environments where I felt I didn’t quite fit in. I know how easy it can be to question yourself, compare yourself to others, or feel that you need to change or adapt in order to belong.

These personal experiences shape the warmth, empathy and understanding I bring to my work. I offer a space where you can feel heard, accepted and understood, without having to pretend to be someone you are not.

People I specialise in working with

Introverts

Highly sensitive people

People who identify as shy

Neurodivergent individuals

People from overseas living in the UK, or those navigating cultural identity and change

Individuals who struggle to feel included, connected or confident in social situations

Areas I can help with

Feeling like you don’t fit in or are not good enough

Low self-confidence and self-esteem

Social anxiety and overthinking

Cultural identity and belonging

Loneliness, isolation and disconnection

Identity and self-understanding

Depression

Anxiety

Working With Me

I am an integrative therapist, drawing on Person-Centred, Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). This means that rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, I tailor our work to you, your experiences and what you need from therapy.

Together, we can:

Explore how past experiences may be shaping how you feel, think and relate to others today

Understand patterns in your thoughts, emotions and relationships

Work practically with anxiety, self-doubt, overthinking and confidence

Explore questions around identity, belonging and what it means to feel comfortable being yourself

I offer a calm, accepting and supportive space where you can be yourself without pressure to change who you are.

Together, we can make sense of difficult feelings and experiences, while exploring how being different does not necessarily need to be something you overcome. Instead, it can be something to understand, accept and value as part of who you are.

My aim is to help you feel more at ease with yourself, more connected to others, and more confident in your own way of being.

I offer therapy in both English and Finnish.

Our Initial meeting/consultation

You can choose to have our initial meeting via Zoom or phone  whichever feels more comfortable for you.

This meeting will last 60 minutes, which is slightly longer than a standard counselling session (50 minutes). The extra time allows us to really get to know each other and see whether we feel like a good fit. Choosing the right therapist is a very personal decision, and this first meeting is your chance to see whether I might be the right person for you.

Therapy works best when you feel safe, comfortable, and understood — which is why I offer this meeting at a reduced rate of £20.

This meeting is also an opportunity for me to listen and understand your situation, and to consider whether I am the right person to support you. As an ethical counsellor, I always put my clients’ best interests first. In rare cases, I may feel that your needs would be better supported by another therapist or professional. If so, I would signpost you to someone more suitable.