Psychology within Reach
offers psychological support in English and Spanish, especially aimed at expats and intercultural couples in transition through different parts of the world.
My path to you
I was born into a humble family, made up of a man from Córdoba and a woman from Jaén whose life paths crossed in Seville, where my older sister, my little brother and I were born. My upbringing and the place that I had in my family led me to feel identified with the role of caregiver / mediator and little by little my vocation was defining itself in that direction, while my personal experiences cleared the way for me.
Studying a master’s degree in Psychology had not been my first choice, especially because of the poor career prospects in my region, but I started it with the hope of showing that statistics speak of probabilities and not certainties. It also helped that I considered myself prepared to live outside my land if the circumstances were favorable for it.
I found this career to be a wonderful and terrifying world, inasmuch as it is necessary to first delve into one’s own demons before even pretending to know how to help others. As a curiosity, I will say that this need to carry out deep personal work has been and continues to be one of the greatest gifts of this profession. The people with whom I have been meeting in this process is the second great gift, including colleagues and patients.
My approach
My therapeutic approach is based on the integration of narrative therapy and Gestalt therapy from a field perspective. I started my journey as a healthcare psychologist by mainly studying CBT at the University, where I learned how to help patients identify and modify their dysfunctional thoughts and behaviors. However, I felt that CBT was not enough to address the complexity and uniqueness of each patient’s situation and experience. That’s why I decided to explore other modalities, such as Gestalt therapy, which focuses on the holistic and relational aspects of human existence. Gestalt therapy from a field perspective emphasizes the importance of understanding the patient in relation to their environment (including me), their history, and their potential. It also invites both the patient and me to be aware of our sensations, emotions, and needs in the present moment, and to experiment with (co-create) new ways of being and relating.
In every therapeutic relationship, I attentively listen to each life story while maintaining a flexible attitude, aiming to find the most fitting response for every unique situation. This approach translates into therapeutic processes that leverage mindfulness tools, others that incorporate journaling or self-reflection forms, and many that simply rely on the dynamic field formed between my patient and me during each session. Many research studies have made it evident that, regardless of the specific resources employed, the therapeutic bond forged through shared presence during sessions is paramount in addressing the suffering of the individual before me. This understanding has led to my decision not to take notes, allowing me to be fully present and enabling the singularity of the lived and shared moment to drive the restorative process.
My continuing education includes Somatic Developmental Psychotherapy, Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Narrative Exposure Therapy, among others. Yet, training aside, one of the elements that is always part of any process that involves me is my own path. My background includes everything from the fact of being a heterosexual white Andalusian woman from humble origins to the experience outside my country and being part of an intercultural couple with no children but furry members. All of it comes with me in every session as your own reality comes with you and my commitment is to co-construct with you the bridge between us using all that is at our reach.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
I invite you to get to know me and decide if I could be a good companion on the road.
Before we meet
Practical information before you start your therapeutic process so we can establish the boundaries of our relationship.
Here-and-now
The bridge between the different forms of human suffering we face and the therapeutic support to alleviate it.
Our next
Once your need for support has been addressed, you can decide which setting seems most appropriate for you to begin your journey to feeling better.
Psychology within Reach
Vuurvlindersingel, 403
3544 DB Utrecht
Netherlands
Phone +31 30 636 8981
Mon. – Fri.– 9 am – 6:30 pm