Rafaela-Iro Schiza, Psy.D.

Everyone experiences ups and downs in their journey of life and seeking support can help you enhance your self-awareness and feel more empowered in your everyday life. Exploring negative emotions and experiences can be distressing and requires courage. My aim is to provide a therapeutic space that allows you to open up at your own pace, feel heard and be supported.

I am a Counseling Psychologist, fully licensed in the UK and currently a Postdoctoral Psychologist in New York. I have received advanced training in working with different mental health difficulties, such as interpersonal difficulties, life transitions, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, eating disorders and body image concerns. I am a bilingual psychologist (Greek & English) and throughout my training I have worked with people from diverse age groups and cultural backgrounds.

I provide individual counseling to adolescents and adults and I adopt a holistic and non-pathologising approach. As a practitioner I espouse an Integrative Approach, which allows us to work together in a flexible way and tailor a sensitive therapeutic treatment that meets your needs. My approach involves carefully integrating elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Person-Centred and Psychodynamic approaches.

I understand that there may be ambivalent feelings when choosing to come to therapy and finding the right therapist to make you feel safe and comfortable, is of paramount
importance. The therapeutic relationship itself often becomes a central part of the healing process, shaping both the journey and the outcome. Throughout our work together, we will regularly reflect on how therapy is progressing and identify areas for growth in a collaborative way. I believe that you are the experts of your own experiences, and my role is to walk alongside you to help you make sense of them. Childhood experiences often influence the way we see ourselves and relate to others, and exploring these patterns can open the door to meaningful change. My ultimate goal is to help you achieve a greater sense of purpose and self-acceptance and to embrace emotional vulnerability as a strength rather than a weakness.

I earned my Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from City, University of London and an MSc in Affective Disorders at King’s College, London. I have extensive experience of
working in various settings, such as eating disorders service, schools, university, the National Health Service in the UK and the charity sector. I am dedicated to my continuous personal and professional development, seizing every opportunity to engage in relevant activities, as I believe that the process of learning is infinite and an ethical responsibility I ought to uphold in my practice.

I would be honored to accompany you in your therapeutic journey!