About Elina

Thanks for taking time to read about me, if you have any questions, get in touch.

In 2012, I received therapy through the NHS to help me through a loss. During that process, my therapist said something that stopped me in my tracks — she asked if I'd studied therapy, because my understanding of what I was going through seemed theoretically grounded. I hadn't. But that moment sparked something. I realised I'd always been genuinely interested in people — in listening to their stories, and trying to make sense of what was happening for them. That conversation became the catalyst for everything that followed.

What am I like in the room?

With couples, I'm curious. I want to understand what's brought you here — the issues on the surface, yes, but also your backgrounds, the patterns that have quietly developed between you, and the emotions underneath the conflict.

I'm drawn to something the couples therapist Esther Perel says: that behind every criticism is an unmet emotional need. When things get heated between partners, I'm interested in what that need actually is. Because so often, what looks like an argument about dishes or money or time is really about something much deeper — the need to feel heard, valued, or loved.

My goal is to help each of you truly listen to the other. Not to listen in order to respond, or to win — but to genuinely understand your partner's world. That shift, when it happens, changes everything.

If you're not sure couples counselling is for you

Both partners need to be willing to engage — if one person isn't genuinely open to the process, it's unlikely to go far. But if you're both here, even nervously, even with reservations, that's enough to start.

I always begin with an introductory meeting — a chance to meet me, ask questions, and get a feel for whether we could work together. No commitment, no pressure. Just a conversation.