My Journey and Approach
My Journey: Personal and Professional Experiences
Before becoming a psychologist, I spent over ten years as an executive assistant. Later, I had the opportunity to transition into psychology, a field I had long been passionate about. Initially, I aspired to become a social educator working with young people. However, a pivotal internship at a juvenile detention centre in Geneva, at around 23 or 24 years old, showed me that I found more fulfilment in one-on-one work, where deep and meaningful connections can be made. This experience also introduced me to the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, which is essential when working with people.
Throughout my career journey, as an executive assistant, then a trainee psychologist, and finally as a qualified psychologist, I’ve had the chance to work across diverse settings: a school, a child protection agency, hospitals, private practices, and non-profit organisations. Although I initially aimed to specialise in sexology and couples therapy, my interests gradually shifted toward understanding how traumatic life experiences shape the present, impacting personal and professional relationships, sleep quality, body awareness, and self-esteem.
These years of experience taught me that, behind many life stories, there are often subtle yet recurring wounds — sometimes called “complex trauma” — or environments that don’t support emotional expression and the development of one’s inner life. While less visible, these influences can profoundly shape each person’s development. This realisation strengthened my commitment to creating a safe and caring space where each individual can confidently explore these deeply held experiences.
My Approach and Training
In my practice, I take an integrative approach, combining various therapeutic techniques, some of which incorporate a focus on the body. I recognise each person as unique and therefore favour the tools that best align with each individual’s specific needs. Although I began my career in cognitive behavioural therapy, I found that the Person-Centred Approach resonated more closely with my worldview and my way of building trusting relationships with clients. This approach led me to begin training in Carl Rogers’ Person-Centred Psychotherapy in Switzerland. However, my move to Australia required me to put this training on hold.
My Philosophy and Personal Approach
Since the beginning of my career in Switzerland, I have embraced an informal approach, which has always helped me establish a mutual sense of trust and respect in sessions. I believe that my clients, like myself, know how to set the necessary boundaries within a professional relationship while feeling safe and secure. I aim to be authentic during sessions and to present myself as I truly am; I don’t try to project an image of perfection. I want my clients to feel at ease and to see me as a person with my own journey, genuinely committed to walking alongside them. However, I emphasise that this does not mean — and I stress this — that therapeutic boundaries are ever blurred.
Working with People Facing Vulnerability
My practice has given me the privilege of working with people from all walks of life, across socio-economic backgrounds and ages. Some clients had fled war, others faced difficulties within their couple or family relationships, some struggled with childhood wounds, and still others wrestled with an unexplained sense of unease despite an outwardly stable life. I have witnessed the surprising and inspiring ways human resilience can emerge. These profound human experiences have greatly enriched my own life. Both my personal journey and the unique paths of those I accompany continually inform my professional outlook, as I firmly believe we all grow through our connections with one another.