Your Life – Only Better
Join me on a journey of self-discovery and healing from trauma.
Take the first step. Get in touch for a FREE no-obligation 30 minute initial consultation. Early mornings (from 7am) sessions available.
Welcome! I’m Ioana
I offer trauma informed therapy, in-person (Bournemouth and Poole) and online. I am passionate about the complexities of trauma and about the lesser understood impacts it can have on our daily lives. My therapy ethos is one of empathy, curiosity and non-judgement; with safety, compassion and empowerment embedded throughout.
My approach is guided by Babette Rothschild’s principle: “The first goal of trauma recovery should and must be to improve your quality of life on a daily basis.“
How I can help you
I can help you understand developmental trauma and how it shows up in everyday life, teaching strategies to lessen its impact. Common issues I help with:
– Deep-seated negative self-beliefs
– Chronic hypervigilance, stress, or anxiety
– Anger, avoidance, or self-blame
– People-pleasing, difficulty setting boundaries
– Identity crises and relationship difficulties
– Complex grief and more
I also specialise in reducing or eliminating symptoms of post-traumatic stress using the Rewind Technique (also known as closure without disclosure), which allows trauma processing without talking about the trauma itself. This can help with:
– Unwanted memories, nightmares, or flashbacks
– Intrusive thoughts
– Avoidance of reminders or triggers
What is trauma-informed therapy?
Trauma-informed care brings a shift in the perspective of therapy and healing.
Traditional or pathology-oriented approaches often start with “What is wrong with you?”, which assumes that our symptoms or behaviours reflect some internal defect or illness.
Trauma-informed therapy, on the other hand, asks: “What happened to you?”. This question reframes the issue. It recognises that many emotional, behavioural, and relational difficulties are adaptive responses to adverse or traumatic experiences — not evidence of something inherently wrong with the person.
This shift does a few key things:
– Brings compassion — it acknowledges suffering and resilience rather than blame
– Reclaims agency — people see how their responses once made sense in unsafe situations
– Builds safety and trust — essential for trauma recovery
– Encourages curiosity, not judgment — both from the therapist and the client
Get in touch for a FREE no-obligation 30 minute initial consultation. Early mornings (from 7am) sessions available.
What will therapy with me be like?
I offer in-person sessions in my comfortable counselling rooms in Winton, Bournemouth or Branksome, Poole. For some trauma survivors, sitting face-to-face can feel uncomfortable. If that is the case for you, we can take our sessions outdoors and have a gentle walk-and-talk along the tree-lined streets nearby.
I also offer remote sessions online or via WhatsApp (video call).
Therapy does not always have to be about talking. Sometimes words can feel too difficult or unsafe, and that is ok. Together, we can explore other ways of working that feel right for you — this might include creative expression, somatic (body-based) awareness, psychoeducation (information and understanding about your experiences), or other approaches that support your healing.
Our therapy goal will be to increase understanding of trauma-related symptoms and how they impact daily life, and to reduce their intensity and influence through healing and empowerment. We will work toward this goal by:
– Exploring life experiences that have shaped your beliefs, emotions, and sense of self
– Understanding how past traumatic experiences continue to affect your current thoughts, feelings, and behaviours
– Identifying the changes you would like to make to support healing and growth
– Developing skills to increase safety, regulation, and control over trauma response
Get in touch for a FREE no-obligation 30 minute initial consultation. Early mornings (from 7am) sessions available.
Why Choose Trauma-Informed Therapy with Me?
Therapy with me will give you:
– Individualised care tailored to your needs
– Safe, gentle, and effective methods
– Expertise in both developmental trauma and PTSD
– Flexible sessions including early mornings from 7am
I am trained in:
– Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST) – a mindfulness-based therapy developed by Dr. Janina Fisher to support trauma-related symptoms
– Rewind Therapy for PTSD symptoms – developed by David Muss of the International Association for Rewind Trauma Therapy
– Humanistic Integrative Counselling Diploma certified by UK’s Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body (CPCAB).
I am a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Fully insured and DBS checked.
Take the First Step : Get in touch for a FREE no-obligation 30 minute initial consultation. Early mornings (from 7am) sessions available.
