Gabriel Soler Santibanez

Life is not easy. Things seem to be taking us in different directions, but no matter what we do, we cannot find the right place for us. We go into different mental states, we feel sad, we shut down, we numb ourselves, and we feel we need more fun. But there is something deep inside that we are missing. Some calm, peace, and integration. A feeling of presence, of being who we are, of breathing and feeling air coming in.

A place to rest, to play, to explore. Like when we were children and the world seemed so open. A place to reflect, make connections and look back and forward. 

The room is a space of safeness, marking a different context, way of being and relating than the day-to-day. Our therapeutic relationship is a space to be who we are, without masks... or to find who we are without masks.

Life is a journey, and therapy is a space to share that journey. We are looking to the past to open new futures. Open space allows the emergence of something new coming from within.

So we both can wonder about what is happening. We both can think, express, and play. Safely. 

I practise based on the values of trust and mutual understanding. I practise from the encounter of two persons, both discovering something new. 

In this encounter, I bring emotional resonance, concepts to understand and exercises to open new possibilities. I bring my knowledge and experience, but I cannot know your colours, history, and how you will unfold. We are both discovering; we are both going into the new...

And that keeps my practice always alive. No matter how much you know, life has its ways...

But I also keep the exploration safe; I will give you resources, practises, and knowledge to understand and manage your emotions. We work together, and the only way to become 'more you' is to feel safe and to create a space of mutual trust, which may take time to know each other. 

Like any deep relationship, we must connect multiple times, and our bodies and minds must become acquainted. Some things can happen quickly if you learn techniques (like meditation or body self-regulation), and others take time, like finding a deeper meaning or sense of life. Healing early or complex trauma implies that not only the present you need to trust but also the parts of you that have been wronged. Those things take time, but they are a beautiful process of healing. 

My way of seeing therapy has developed through years of study and practice, starting by becoming a psychologist, a clinical psychologist, a therapist, and finally, a PhD in Counselling. I am Chilean-Spanish and my mother tongue is Spanish. I have been in Scotland since 2016 when I arrived to conduct postgrad studies. 

We start by having a free phone call, so we can start sensing who we are, and you can ask me all your questions. 

Then we agree on a day and time to meet in person. We will explore your situation, and I will respond with my understanding and first thoughts. This way, you can have an impression of how I see you. 

Then you can decide if it is the right space for you.