Life throws us challenges all the time and it can feel intense, leaving us anxious, overwhelmed and feeling like a failure for not coping well with the ever-increasing demands on our time. We soldier on and try to brush it under the carpet but unfortunately, this only leads to more suffering, emotional pain and quite often a burnout. Plus, I am a believer that if we are not in a good place, this directly affects those around us and also our children’s well-being. We all carry our childhood baggage which shows up in our adult life and in the way we parent. You are not alone!

I believe we all have the resources within us to get through anything life throws at us but sometimes we need help accessing them. Often, we are stuck in the stories we tell ourselves and can’t find a way out. My role will be to find out the root emotion so we are dealing with the main issue and help you find solutions and facilitate change. Therapy requires strength and courage, and commitment. It takes a lot of guts to look inside ourselves and figure out what’s going on, and even more to let someone else share that journey with us. Usually, the first step is the hardest.

This is for you if:

  • Your child is struggling with anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, extreme behaviour, school anxiety and/or avoidance

  • Your child has special educational needs and you and your child need help and support so you can best manage it and the way it affects the whole family

  • You feel anxious, stressed, overwhelmed and/or exhausted

  • You find parenting challenging at times, feel like you are not coping well with life’s everyday demands

How does therapy work:

All my sessions are client-led where you or your child are an active partner in the therapy process. During the first few sessions I will find out what brings you to therapy and what you are hoping to get out of it. When working with children I don’t tend to ask much during the first two sessions but use non-directive approach so they feel comfortable with me.

The child therapy sessions include counselling through therapeutic and creative play, the Ollie and his Superpowers model and mindfulness based CBT techniques, child-led and tailored to the child’s individual needs. I use sand therapy, art and creative materials, soft toys, Lego, play doh and more to help the child communicate their story, express their feelings and make sense of the things that are going on for them.

I also offer parent coaching sessions where I provide in-depth feedback on how your child is getting on as well as coping tips and strategies and how to best manage difficult behavior.

When working with adults, I will encourage you to explore your thoughts, feelings, actions and circumstances so you can gain greater understanding and self-awareness, and acceptance towards what you are experiencing.

The therapeutic process doesn’t always progress regularly and can be described as a rollercoaster experience, with peaks, troughs, loops and spirals. It can get worse before it gets better. My job is to be your companion on all parts of the journey, whatever it brings.

Often I get asked how many sessions are needed which is hard to say as it is very individual but it is important to commit to a minimum of 6 sessions as anything less than that is unlikely to create long-lasting change. Often more than 6 sessions are needed.

Sessions can take place either online (for 16+ years old) or in my home in Egham.

Cost:

£65 per session (50 min long).

When working with younger children, I provide brief feedback to parents after each session. I also offer sessions for parents where I provide more detailed feedback and suggestions how to deal with challenging behaviour. These are priced at £30 for a 30 min session.

Parenting coaching sessions

I know first hand how challenging parenting can be, and although I don’t have all the answers or a magic wand to fix challenging situations, I can provide a safe space for you to express your feelings, meeting you with empathy and understanding. I also provide tips and strategies for managing challenging behaviour, special needs and school anxiety/avoidance. Difficulties are usually maintained or heightened by family dynamics including the family structure, communication patterns between family members, lack of awareness and understanding and the formation of ineffective attempted solutions. I help parents break away from unhealthy patterns, align on parenting styles and also help you reflect on any unresolved issues, unhealthy attachment styles, limiting beliefs and negative thought patterns which often can be traced back to childhood.

Sessions are one hour long and cost £80 each.

Testimonials

Testimonial

“By the end of my daughters sessions with Stani, she was so much more confident to tackle issues she had previously struggled with. She also grew in confidence in herself which was truly wonderful to see. I cannot recommend Stani enough, she has such a lovely nature and my daughter always looked forward to every session.” Tanya

“My experience working with Stani has been so positive. She has guided me through the fundamentals of mindfulness practice. Her support has been encouraging and her therapeutic techniques have helped with some key obstacles to my general mental health. I would highly recommend Stani to anyone feeling overwhelmed and anxious.” Natalie

“As a sufferer of postnatal depression & anxiety for nearly 5 years I started seeing Stani as a way of finding the root cause of my mental illness & hopefully find the ability to cope with it & manage day to day life. After the first session I was feeling more like myself again, I felt like a weight had been lifted & I could smile genuinely. Stani was brilliant at listening to understand. remaining incredibly patient & offering me calming techniques that I use daily to get me through the hard times. Thank you so much Stani! “ Liz, mum

"I went to see Stany because I was very stressed and felt bad about myself. She was gentle, but well structured, and gave me a safe space to let everything out. What impressed me the most was how Stani conducted the Gestalt Empty Chair exercise, as it allowed very deep feelings to finally surface, feelings that had oppressed me for over fifty years! I can't thank Stani enough for her help." Lara, mum

“Stani's mindfulness session has been an amazing experience. At the beginning she gives some background information and shares her personal story, which is very encouraging. Throughout the actual meditation, she has very pleasant voice to listen to and provides clear instructions. I felt very relaxed afterwards, more present in a current moment and definitely inspired to bring more mindfulness in my life through Stani's practise seminars!” Helena

“Love Stani's mindfulness sessions! I find them very valuable now that I'm in my third trimester of my first pregnancy.” Maja

“I have been attending pregnancy mindfulness course with Stani I well recommend, it has prepared me for the birth given me confidence and breathing techniques I can apply during delivery. I will certainly continue attending the classes post birth to keep my healthy mental balance in this life changing event, as mindfulness helps so much with anxiety and being kind to yourself.” Katarina

“Absolutely loved Stani's Mindfulness for the new Moms course. Stani is an amazing tutor and I highly recommend her course. It was relaxing, I learnt new skills as well as made friendships other Moms!” Ksenija

“A brilliant course of 6 sessions - Stani is a great teacher who listens, supports and has such an in-depth knowledge on mindfulness! So glad I did the 6 sessions with the wonderful Stani! Would recommend to everyone.” Eden

“I did a wonderful mindfulness for new mums course with Stani, I really learnt so much, it was just what I needed to refocus my mind after the baby changed everything. Stani was brilliant at talking us through mindfulness exercises and meditations, each session was enjoyable, relaxing and enlightening. I have carried on with mindfulness in my everyday life after the course has ended!” Angela