Irena Grgona - therapist in ilford-ig3

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Features

Flexible hours available
Concessionary rates

Availability

I work in private practice exclusively on zoom/MS Teams.

About me and my therapy practice

Warm welcome.

I founded Your Alchemists in the midst of great personal and professional change. In 2014 I started training in a form of counselling /facilitation modality called InnerBonding ( an integrative inner child informed modality) with one of its co-creators Dr Margaret Paul going back and forth to Colorado, USA over 6 years.In parallel I undertook my MSc in Psychology. I graduated in 2018 and was accredited by Dr Paul in 2019. I also trained and qualified in India as a yoga instructor in 2019. By that point, having graduated in Business studies, Acting and languages, as well as yoga and meditation, I had had a successful career in performing arts/theatre and in the London City Financial district as a producer, coach and Strategist.

In my mid forties in 2020, I sold my belongings, gave up my apartment, and moved to student halls of residence and undertook my Doctorate in Counselling Psychology at the University of Roehampton.

Today, having come back from this journey, and faced many challenges, like so many of us, and having achieved many of my goals including completing my Doctorate in August 2023, it is never too late to learn, to change!,

I had my doctoral Viva recently and currently incorporating amendments to my thesis before I can qualify as Counselling Psychologist.

I have worked as a facilitator of InnerBonding and an accredited executive/life coach since 2019. I’ve been in private practice as a therapist since 2021.

I now transmit the jewels of my learning. It is my conclusion that it is possible to transcend what at times can feel like insurmountable challenges to reach a state of wellbeing - if we choose and commit to.

I consider myself an integrative therapist. I hope that you might benefit from my journey's (personal and professional, as a clinician, yoga & meditation instructor and ex dancer/actress) learnings, discoveries and the evidence-based modalities that I have trained in and practiced.

Practice description

I offer one-on-one personal therapy, facilitation, coaching, longer workshops and an online self-study course. I also publish self-care tips on my blog. I have facilitated tightly-knit gatherings and presented at much larger forums.

My approach is multi-theoretical, eclectic and integrative combining all the evidence-based aspects of what I have seen work effectively and includes:

Person-centred and existential psychotherapy

Psychodynamic psychotherapy

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), DBT & Mentalisation

Adapted personal therapy and coaching speciality for Neurodivergent clients (Autism & ADHD or both)

Inner Bonding® (certified facilitator in June 2019), which is a form of inner child/inner reparenting modality

Yoga, Meditation & Breath work (200 hours Teacher Training qualification obtained in India)

Psychodrama & Art

Career-coaching (accredited level 2 Performance Consulting coach)

Public-speaking: as an ex professional writer/actress/producer, I can incorporate drama, movement, film- interviewing techniques and elements of physical expression if required.

The key pre-requisites for us working together are 1) a readiness, willingness and openness to learning as well as 2) taking responsibility for the ways you might be thinking or behaving, which might be contributing to your difficulties. These are the key ingredients for any successful change to happen.

I work in two ways. I offer 1) ‘walk-in/single session‘ therapy/counselling or coaching and/or 2) longer term personal therapy/counselling. With walk-in/single sessions, I would require you to answer brief questions about what your goals might be. These single sessions might be about sign-posting you. There is no obligation for you to return. In longer term work, the first two 50 minute sessions include an initial assessment comprising of a very brief personal history, an understanding of the reason(s) for you seeking help and shaping the goals which will allow us to co-work together on this process.

My first session

Sessions are 50min long and £170.

If we have never worked together I offer the first three sessions at discovery rates of £145/50min.

I offer a free 15min telephone or zoom consultation session if you have any questions prior to booking.

Types of therapy

CBT, Creative therapy, Eclectic, Existential, Humanistic, Integrative, Person centred, Psychodynamic, Relational, Solution focused brief therapy, Transpersonal

Clients I work with

Adults, Groups, Older adults, Organisations

How I deliver therapy

Email therapy, Long term sessions, Online therapy, Short term sessions, Telephone therapy, Text therapy, Time-limited

Languages spoken

English, French, German, Serbo-Croat, Spanish