Equipo

She was born and raised in Madrid, the daughter of an American father, from Washington D.C., and a Spanish mother, from Madrid. Her family history has always been marked by the encounter between two cultures: her paternal grandfather, an American military serviceman, met her Sevillian grandmother in Spain during his time at the American military base in Torrejón. Her entire paternal family, except for her father, who built his life in Spain, is settled in the USA.

For this reason, from a young age, travelling to the United States was not simply “going on holiday” for her, but rather returning to an important part of her history. Summers there meant reuniting with her American family, living with other customs and another way of relating to others. She remembers with special affection the 4th of July celebrations watching fireworks by the lake, the days spent wakeboarding and doing other outdoor activities. They were special, intense and highly anticipated summers, because they were also the time of year when she could be close to her family.

During her childhood, she also participated in Camp Hidden Meadows, in Virginia, with its campfires at night, s’mores with toasted marshmallows, songs around the fire, archery, climbing, capture the flag and living alongside children from different places, cultures and ways of being. In that environment, she learned something that she keeps very present today: when a safe space is created, differences stop separating people so much and people can meet from a much more human place.

At the age of 9, during one of those camps, she lived an experience that she remembers with special affection. She felt homesickness, with that mixture of sadness, fear and longing that can appear when one is far from home, from family and from what is familiar. The support of a camp counselor helped her calm down, feel accompanied and be able to enjoy herself again. Over time, Paloma has understood that it was there that one of the first seeds of her vocation was planted: discovering the value that a person who listens, accompanies and helps someone go through a difficult moment can have, without judging or minimizing what the other person feels.

Growing up between Spain and the United States also allowed her to become closely acquainted with the feeling of not fully belonging to a single place. Paloma has felt deeply connected to both cultures, but she has also lived that experience of feeling “different” in different contexts. One anecdote that she finds amusing is how people have often assumed that her red hair came from her American side, when in reality it comes from her Spanish family. For her, this type of experience reflects something very human: how sometimes others read us from a previous idea, a label or an assumption, without yet knowing our full story.

At the age of 16, she completed an academic year at John Champe High School, in Virginia, United States. She was offered the opportunity to move from sophomore year to junior year, and that experience allowed her to become very clearly aware of the differences between both educational systems. She was struck by a more experiential way of learning, the organization of subjects, the closer relationship with teachers and the importance of sports as an element of unity. She especially remembers the atmosphere of the football games supporting her team, the Knights, the energy of the school, the sense of belonging that was generated around the team and the fact of beginning the mornings reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, something that made her become aware of the very intense relationship that existed with national identity and community.

Living far from her family and friends, adapting to another culture, creating bonds from scratch and learning to manage in a different environment was an important challenge. It was also an experience that helped her gain autonomy, maturity and confidence. That stage awakened in her a very sensitive view towards adaptation processes, life changes, loneliness, the need to belong and the effort many people make to find their place.

Later, during her university years, Paloma studied Psychology and Criminology at Universidad Pontificia de Comillas and completed a semester at the University of South Florida, in Tampa. There, she immersed herself once again in her second culture, but from another life stage and in a very multicultural university environment. She lived with and created bonds with people from different countries, cultures and stories, and was able to observe how the environment, family, culture and previous experiences profoundly influence the way each person relates, expresses distress and faces their difficulties.

This interest in understanding the person within their context later led her to train in Systemic Therapy. This perspective occupies a very important place in her way of working. For Paloma, psychological distress does not appear in isolation, but within a network of bonds, experiences, learning, expectations and significant relationships. For this reason, in therapy she is not only interested in “what symptom appears”, but also in what story lies behind it, what function it serves, what relationships sustain it and what the person needs in order to begin relating to themselves and to others in a healthier way.

Throughout her clinical career, Paloma has worked with people going through very diverse difficulties, such as anxiety, depression, emotional regulation problems in the context of borderline personality disorder, self-esteem problems, work-related burnout, emotional regulation difficulties, stress, addictions, couple conflicts and family difficulties.

A particularly important part of her professional journey has taken place at Proyecto Hombre. Working in addictions taught her that a substance does not appear simply “just because” nor is it maintained only by a lack of willpower. Many times it serves a function: calming, numbing, avoiding, belonging, regulating an unbearable emotion or surviving a story that has not been able to be processed in another way. Hence the importance of asking, regarding the substance, “what purpose it serves”, “what pain it is trying to manage” and “what alternatives the person needs to build in order to live in a different way”.

In her work with couples, Paloma places great importance on creating a safe space in which both people can feel heard, without therapy becoming a trial or a search for blame. She is interested in helping couples understand what is activated in each person, what needs are not being expressed and what patterns repeat themselves again and again, even when both wish to do better. She considers it essential to be able to open conversations that are often difficult or uncomfortable, such as sexuality, desire, boundaries, intimacy, parenting, family expectations or cultural differences.

As a family therapist, Paloma works with special care so that each member can feel comfortable, respected and allowed to show vulnerability. She knows that many families come to therapy with issues they have been avoiding for a long time, or with the feeling that talking may hurt, generate conflict or break a fragile balance. For this reason, her goal is to create a space where difficult conversations can be addressed in a contained, respectful and safe way, helping each person express their experience without being singled out as “problematic”.

Paloma does not understand therapy as a rigid intervention or one that is the same for everyone, but as a process that must adapt to the history, pace, resources and needs of each patient. She integrates practical tools, emotional work, exploration of bonds, understanding of relational patterns and strategies oriented towards change, always from a flexible and respectful perspective.

She gives special importance to the therapeutic bond. Paloma firmly believes that asking for help is an act of courage and that therapy can become a space of trust from which to begin a process of change, growth and greater emotional well-being.

From a very young age, Loreto has lived in multicultural environments. At the age of four, she moved with her family to Managua, Nicaragua, where she attended Lincoln International Academy in a fully English-speaking environment within an American educational system focused on project-based learning.

At the age of 12, her family relocated once again for work reasons, this time to Bogotá, Colombia, where she studied at Colegio Anglo Colombiano, transitioning into the British educational system. She has experienced first-hand the challenges that come with a life shaped by constant change, adapting to new environments and repeatedly saying goodbye. During these transitions, the support of the family psychologist provided by the company played a fundamental role in her life. It was then that she decided she wanted to become the professional who would one day support children and adolescents through their own challenges.

At 17, she moved back to Spain and completed the International Baccalaureate (IB) at CEU San Pablo. She later began her university studies at the same institution, specializing in Clinical Psychology. From her second year onwards, she developed a strong interest in Neuropsychology, eventually becoming the department’s teaching assistant. As a result, she completed her internship in a project supporting individuals on the Autism Spectrum (ASD) at Asociación Nuevo Horizonte.

There, she participated as a co-therapist in social skills groups, cognitive stimulation, creativity workshops (art therapy), and emotional regulation sessions. It was an experience she lived very deeply and personally, where she came to understand not only the weight of stigma and prejudice that still exist in society, but also the enormous power of patience, care, and human connection within the therapeutic process.

In addition, she volunteered at Fundación Vía del Arte, where professional artists and healthcare workers use art as a therapeutic tool with people with disabilities and children at risk of social exclusion, among other vulnerable groups. She strongly believes that art can become a fundamental therapeutic resource, allowing emotions to be expressed and processed in ways that are often difficult to access through words alone.

She also collaborated with Fundación Luchando Contra el Cáncer Infantil following the illness of a close friend’s younger brother. There, she participated in recreational activities for children, aiming to offer moments of play, distraction, and normality during especially difficult circumstances.

Within the educational field, Loreto worked with the Pozuelo City Council delivering workshops for adolescents in public schools across the municipality. She developed classroom activities focused on improving communication skills, fostering social abilities, and addressing issues affecting students, such as sexting, new technologies, online gambling, homophobia, and sexism.

She later joined a multidisciplinary clinic, where she has worked in neuropsychological assessment and intervention, as well as emotional support and guidance for patients in both English and Spanish. In addition, she worked in reading and writing development, cognitive stimulation, and attentional support, helping children in their academic development.

Her experience working with neurodivergence has taught her that behind every diagnosis — ADHD, ASD, giftedness, or twice and three-times exceptionality — there are children, adolescents, and adults with unique stories, needs, and contexts.

Additionally, she collaborated with CEU San Pablo University as a theoretical-practical instructor and laboratory session supervisor for second-year medical students within a bilingual academic environment. This experience allowed her to work closely with young adults and better understand the pressure and self-demand often associated with university life. Working with university students further strengthened her interest in supporting young people through a close, flexible, and individualized approach adapted to the challenges of this stage of life.

Currently, Loreto works from an integrative and person-centered perspective. She considers it essential to create a therapeutic space based on trust and safety, always adapting the intervention to each patient’s individual needs. Her multicultural background and fluency in English allow her to connect closely and empathetically with people from diverse backgrounds, understanding psychological support as a deeply human and personalized process.

Claudia Ávila is a Venezuelan psychologist of Colombian heritage whose personal and professional journey has been shaped by living across different cultures, countries, and languages. Having grown up between Venezuela, Colombia, and the United States, she developed from an early age a strong capacity for adaptation and a deep curiosity about the many ways people build their identities, cope with challenges, and create meaning in their lives.

Her interest in psychology began at a young age, inspired by watching her older brother work with children on the autism spectrum. This experience sparked a desire to pursue a profession that would allow her to support people through some of the most challenging moments of their lives. This passion eventually led her to study Psychology at Universidad de La Sabana in Colombia.

During her undergraduate studies, she was introduced to Contextual Behavioral Therapies and, in particular, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), an approach that profoundly transformed her understanding of human suffering and psychological change. Drawn to this model, she moved to Madrid to further her training with some of the leading ACT professionals in the Spanish-speaking world, completing a Master’s degree in Contextual Therapies, ACT, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP), and Mindfulness at MICPSY.

What was initially intended to be a one-year academic experience became the beginning of a new personal and professional chapter in Spain. After living in several countries, Claudia found in Madrid a place where she could build both her career and her life. During this period, she completed the process of validating her psychology degree in Spain, earned a Master’s degree in General Health Psychology, and continued to deepen her expertise through specialized training in ACT for children, teens, and families.

Her professional development has also been enriched by a range of international experiences. During an academic exchange at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, she explored areas such as trauma, grief, criminology, and criminal behaviour analysis. Years later, while training in Spain, she completed a clinical placement at Madrid V Soto del Real Penitentiary Centre, where she facilitated an ACT-based values workshop. Working with individuals in highly vulnerable circumstances strengthened her belief that human suffering can only be fully understood when viewed within the context of a person’s history, environment, and values.

In her clinical work, Claudia combines the scientific rigor of evidence-based therapies with a warm, flexible, and creative approach. She particularly enjoys developing metaphors, experiential exercises, and tailored interventions that reflect each client’s unique needs and circumstances, recognising that no two therapeutic journeys are alike.

Her work focuses on helping people develop a healthier relationship with their thoughts and emotions, increase psychological flexibility, and build lives that are more aligned with what truly matters to them. She strives to create a therapeutic space that is safe, collaborative, and compassionate, where clients can find not only tools to navigate life’s challenges but also a supportive place from which to grow and move forward.

Of Spanish origin, Rocío has always had a strong interest in different cultures and ways of living. At 22, with a degree in Advertising and Public Relations (she was working in digital marketing), she set off on a journey to London eager to master the language and pursue her dream of becoming a Psychologist. Clearly, London won her over—her British adventure ultimately lasted 10 years.

Being an expatriate brought many challenges: initially not mastering the language meant feeling insecure while learning a different way of life—the transport system, supermarkets, making new friends… The climate was particularly difficult for her, as she loves outdoor sports. “Migrating means becoming a new version of yourself that fits into the new country, while balancing that new self with staying connected to your family and friends back home.”

From the United Kingdom, she brought back an admiration for the culture’s lack of judgment and respect for individuality. She will never forget the effect of being offered a cup of tea—it carries an unspoken message: I’m listening, let’s talk. Professionally, she appreciated the horizontal structure of the system, which values every team member’s talents and prioritizes day-to-day knowledge of each case over formal qualifications.

From the beginning of her psychology studies, she felt a special interest in working with children, adolescents, and families. During her degree, she worked as a teaching assistant in special needs schools for children with Autism and other developmental differences (Springhallow School). At the same time, she collaborated with Salusbury World, an NGO supporting refugee families from Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and other countries, helping children through play. She also provided academic support and led recreational activities as a playworker in residential resources for homeless families through the charity Caris Families in Camden. She came to understand the power of nurturing creativity and child development through play. “At least during this hour, you get to be a child, leaving behind the difficulties of being a refugee child.”

She later completed her final dissertation researching early signs displayed through play in babies (up to 30 months old) that could indicate they were on the Autism Spectrum (ASD). The goal was early detection to enable early intervention. Her job at The Holmewood School, a special educational needs centre in London for students aged 8 to 18 diagnosed with ASD, allowed her to develop extensive experience in treating associated conditions such as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and sensory integration difficulties. She provided sessions aimed at promoting psychomotor, sensory, and cognitive development, as well as implementing adaptations within the school environment. She worked in the Occupational Therapy Department from a play- and movement- based approach and also cooked and baked with children who had food restrictions and hypersensitivity to smells and textures.

During this time, she continued working in cultural integration at the after-school club of Salusbury Primary School, in close contact with situations involving migration-related grief and adaptation difficulties in the host country.

After Brexit, she decided to return to Spain to complete her training with a Master’s Degree in General Health Psychology at the European University of Madrid. Returning meant going back to what was familiar yet no longer truly knowing it—feeling like an outsider, no longer fully from here nor there. Rocío has firsthand experience of the challenges of Re-entry Syndrome.

While studying, she worked as a psychologist for women, children, and families at the NGO Asociación Bienestar y Desarrollo, in a child protection program for minors in contexts of psychosocial risk, focusing on attachment and bonding work with their families of origin. Families from Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, Ukraine, Palestine, Colombia, Venezuela, and Paraguay required interventions adapted to their cultural particularities, always grounded in deep respect. She fell in love with working with families—understanding the dynamics that arise in relationships and becoming aware of them to prevent the transmission of intergenerational trauma.

During this period, she also facilitated activities and workshops linked to the European RECAP project, aimed at reducing the effects of loneliness, isolation, and hopelessness related to COVID-19 among adolescents. For Rocío, adolescents possess a unique strength. Redirecting their desire to challenge the status quo and channelling that change so it becomes a conscious decision rather than an impulsive reaction is, for her, an inspiring therapeutic task.

She chose to complete her clinical internship in early intervention, working 400 hours with babies and children with developmental delays, hearing loss, selective mutism, and behavioural difficulties. Assessing developmental progress is highly specialized work that requires seeing not only the child but also the family and their circumstances.

Throughout her career, she has never stopped training. Most recently, she completed an advanced certification in clinical trauma intervention, as the very definition of trauma—“a wound”—is present in each of us to a greater or lesser extent, with different consequences. Working with trauma in adults differs from working with children, and she sought training to support both populations.

Her commitment to child protection and the defence of children’s rights is one of her core purposes. Since 2024, she has participated in and coordinated the Working Group on the Prevention of Child Abuse and Sexual Abuse at the Official College of Psychologists of Madrid.

Rocío works from an integrative, person-centred perspective, offering a safe, respectful space tailored to individual needs. Her approach is grounded in understanding the emotional world and promotes personal development, self-esteem, and autonomy, creating an environment of trust where each process progresses collaboratively.

In the field of child psychology, she understands intervention as teamwork with the family, combining warmth and closeness with professionalism and rigor. She trusts in the therapeutic relationship as a driver of change, prioritizing empathy, unconditional acceptance, and active listening—not only to address difficulties such as anxiety or emotional and behavioural challenges, but also to strengthen inner resources and foster balanced growth.

Born in Guatemala to a family from Cádiz, Lucía’s life has always been shaped by her father’s frequent relocations (every three years, the family moved to a new destination). She grew up in a multicultural environment, attended middle and high school at the International School of Panama, and completed her secondary education at El Altillo School in Jerez, Spain. As a former expatriate child and teenager, she understands firsthand the challenges of adapting to a new school in a foreign country and the feeling of being an “alien.” Experiencing different ways of life broadened her perspective on human diversity and made her feel like a true citizen of the world.

From an early age, she was the friend everyone turned to for advice and support, so discovering her calling for psychology came naturally. It was the perfect field to combine her structured, analytical mindset with her deep curiosity about the mind and human relationships. While studying Psychology at the University of Seville (bilingual track), she obtained an Erasmus scholarship, allowing her to study a year at Maastricht University (Netherlands), specialized in neuroscience. There, the challenge was mostly academic and her first immersion in English as the working language of psychology. She still keeps in touch with many friends she met while living in an international student residence. Later, at Loyola University Andalusia, she completed a dual master’s degree in General Health Psychology (qualifying her for private practice) and Neuropsychology.

Since then, as a neuropsychologist, she has focused her career on the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents, with a special interest in neurodevelopmental disorders, acquired brain injury, and genetic syndromes. Her work at the Centro Integral de Valoración e Intervención Terapéutica (CIVET) allowed her to be part of multidisciplinary teams, carry out adapted neuropsychological assessments, design individualized treatment plans, implement cognitive rehabilitation programs, and support both patients and their families throughout the therapeutic process.

Lucía sees neuropsychology as a craft, where each case requires sensitivity, patience, and creativity. Her main goal is to help her patients overcome everyday challenges (attention difficulties, tasks organization, or impulse control). To achieve this, she uses books, games, and other playful tools that make the therapeutic process more engaging and accessible for children and adolescents.

She has worked with children (from age two), teenagers, and young adults diagnosed with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, specific language impairment, nonverbal learning disorder, neurological injury, cerebral palsy, and genetic syndromes such as Angelman or West. She also has experience with adults and older patients with neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s and other dementias) or acquired brain injury (post-stroke or traumatic brain injury rehabilitation).

She is committed to ongoing professional development, regularly attending conferences and specialized training courses. Her continued education includes training in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), early educational intervention in autism spectrum disorder and bullying prevention.

In her role as a General Health Psychologist at the Centro Psicopedagógico Espiral, she has supported children and adolescents dealing with behavioral issues, social difficulties, low self-esteem and bullying. Since childhood, she has shown a natural ability to connect with younger children, becoming the go-to babysitter in her community.

As a professional, she strongly believes in close collaboration with families, schools, and medical professionals creating support networks around each patient: «We have to work as a team.»

Delfina is the daughter of parents born in Argentina. However, her cultural background is much more complex. Her paternal grandparents are Germans living in the former Yugoslavia, while her maternal grandparents are children of Italian immigrants. When asked «Where are you from?», she recalls conversations in German between her father and grandfather, videos of traditional dances in the German community of Villa Ballester in Buenos Aires, and Sundays of mate and barbecue. At the same time, Delfina was born and has always lived in Spain, and was educated in bilingual Spanish-English schools.

Already in her final years of high school, she knew she wanted to study psychology, and she managed to do so at the prestigious Univerisdad Autónoma of Madrid. She was fascinated by human behavior, emotions, and the way we relate to ourselves and others. Training as a psychologist was a natural choice, a way to channel her empathy and willingness to support others in their processes of change and well-being…

During her undergraduate degree, she chose to take an elective course on Human Sexuality, where she studied its anatomy, physiology, and dysfunctions in depth. However, she lacked the emotional, affective, and attachment component, which would lead her to the Master’s in Sexology at Camilo José Cela University in Madrid. During her internship at the Youth Center for Sexuality Care, she discovered the tremendous need to talk openly about sex. She provided counseling on topics as diverse as contraceptive methods, unwanted pregnancies, and questions about sexual identity.

As a sexologist, Delfina believes that sexuality is a unique and unrepeatable personal universe and therefore creates a judgment-free space where each person can openly explore their needs and desires. She has a particular interest in female sexuality, where she focuses on self-knowledge and the willingness to embrace the right to pleasure as part of holistic well-being. When working with male sexuality, she focuses on alleviating culturally imposed performance demands and allowing for a more authentic experience of desire connected to enjoyment.

She became a General Health Psychologist after completing a Master’s degree at Antonio de Nebrija University. Given her multicultural background, she applied for an internship at Sinews, where she was selected after a competitive process. There, she enriched her cognitive-behavioral foundation with ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) tools. Additionally, working in the adult education department and with the university population, she gained experience with a wide variety of issues such as eating disorders, anxiety, stress, depression, and more, as well as with individuals from the LGBTQ+ community, as her tutor, Jorge Jiménez Castillo, is an expert in stress among sexual minorities.

As a true learner, her training is ongoing. In addition to having completed several courses (Gender-Based Violence and Perinatal Psychology, among others), she plans to continue her training in ED and Couples Therapy.

Delfina works from a cognitive-behavioral perspective, which she combines with elements of other currents. Her style is approachable, practical, and tailored to the needs of each individual. She relies on dialogue, simple strategies, and exercises to foster sustainable change. For her, acceptance is a key component of well-being: not as resignation, but as a starting point for moving forward.

Daughter of a Spanish mother and a French father, she grew up in a bilingual and bicultural home. She spent her early years at Pomme d’Api and the Lycée Français, later transitioning to a Spanish school, which allowed her to experience the differences between academic systems and presented an adaptation challenge she successfully overcame. Throughout her life, summers have always had their familiar corner in Arcachon. With her father being from Paris, “compote de pomme” was always a staple at the dinner table on December 25th.

As a teenager, Alejandra had the opportunity to spend three one-month stays in different regions of the United States, including Wisconsin and Ohio. During those years, she stayed in touch with her host family from Chippewa Falls, fondly remembering Grandma Deb’s cookies with a smile. At 17, she worked on a dairy farm in Kilkenny, Callan, Ireland, while also serving coffee at a local association for people with intellectual and physical disabilities. She truly understands the challenges a teenager faces when adjusting to a new culture, as she experienced them firsthand.

From a very young age, Alejandra has been deeply fascinated by the physical and emotional changes that define adolescence. This interest led her to become a counselor at international camps, such as the YMCA in the United States and Camp Chantemerle in Montreux, Switzerland. There, she had the chance to interact with children and teenagers from diverse backgrounds—Spanish, French, Swiss, Arabic, and Norwegian—using the three languages she mastered. She also connected with their families, who came from different cultures and relationship systems. Many years later, Alejandra worked with the ANAR Foundation, providing crisis intervention and emergency support for children and adolescents facing challenges like cyberbullying, anxiety related to social media, and thoughts of death. She also offered support to parents struggling to manage difficulties with their children. Being a teenager today can be incredibly challenging, and Alejandra’s experiences have given her a deep understanding of these complexities.

Alejandra has always had a strong sense of solidarity. She led a group of teenagers in organizing activities at a nursing home and initiated a sewing project called «Amor a Saco,» which created and donated seed bags to children with kidney transplants and genetic diseases, helping them release their pain. As a kidney transplant recipient herself, she deeply understands the loss of health, the uncertainty, and the resilience that comes with such an experience. She is truly grateful to be able to offer support to others who are going through similar challenges.

In her work with couples, Alejandra focuses on enhancing communication and understanding between partners through emotion-focused therapy. Her goal is to help each individual connect with their own emotions and needs within the relationship, while also understanding those of their partner. Through this approach, she creates a safe space where both can gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics of their relationship, foster meaningful change, and strengthen their bond, ultimately building a more harmonious and fulfilling relationship. As a member of a bicultural couple herself, she is deeply familiar with the challenges of integrating different ways of living and adapting to one another within this dynamic.

During her specialization in Family Therapy, she had the opportunity to train at UNINPSI and Montpellier School, where she worked closely with adolescents and their families on cases involving anxiety, depression, physical and verbal violence between parents and children, technology addiction, and substance abuse. She has a deep understanding of the suffering experienced by both parties, the struggle for autonomy alongside the need for validation and acceptance by adolescents, and the pain of parents who long for their children.

At SINEWS, Alejandra works with adults, young international students, teenagers, couples, and families. Her approach is both warm and technically grounded; she enjoys getting to know each person and their challenges on a deeper level. She helps individuals better understand, express, and experience their emotions, normalizing everything from the simplest to the most unfamiliar or fearful ones. After all, they are all a part of us.

Mária sa narodila na Slovensku v rodine, kde sa dovtedy nikto predtým nerozhodol opustiť svoju krajinu v hľadaní nového domova. Stala sa teda prvou, ktorá sa rozhodla presťahovať do zahraničia, poháňaná túžbou objavovať príležitosti, ktoré jej iná krajina môže poskytnúť. Motivovaná záujmom o ľudí a ich príbehy, študovala psychológiu vo svojej domovskej krajine, kde pokračovala vo svojej špecializácii magisterským titulom v odbore organizačná a vzdelávacia psychológia. Počas posledného roka postgraduálneho štúdia mala príležitosť zúčastniť sa výmenného programu Erasmus v Portugalsku na Univerzite Trás-os-Montes a Alto Douro vo Vila Real. Štúdium v zahraničí a v jazyku, ktorý nepoznala, jej pomohlo uvedomiť si dôležitosť sociálnych vzťahov – práve tie jej pomohli pri prispôsobovaní sa novému prostrediu. A práve tam sa prebudila aj jej vášeň pre terapeutickú prácu.

Počas svojho štúdia na Slovensku, inšpirovaná svojím bratom, oddaným sociálnym pracovníkom, spolupracovala na jednom z projektov UNICEF-u, „Linka detskej istoty“, kde prijímala hovory od detí a adolescentov, ktorí čelili rôznym problémom – šikanovanie, problémy nadviazať vzťahy so svojimi rovesníkmi, neporozumenie rodiny… Snažila sa im pomáhať nájsť riešenia v týchto náročných situáciách, s ktorými sa dennodenne potýkali.

V garáži-herni neziskovej organizácie Ulita pracovala s deťmi a adolescentmi žijúcimi v znevýhodnenom prostredí jedného bratislavského sídliska. Prostredníctvom hry mohla nahliadnuť do ich životov, čo len potvrdilo jej túžbu pokračovať v odbornom vzdelávaní sa pre prácu s touto populáciou. Presvedčená, že detstvo a adolescencia sú obdobia s veľkým potenciálom na zmenu a uzdravenie, si uvedomila, že hra nie je len prostriedkom na nadviazanie prvého kontaktu s dieťaťom, ale aj bezpečným priestorom, kde mu môžeme dať našu plnú pozornosť.

Neskôr pracovala ako psychologička v neziskovej organizácii Prima, kde pomáhala ľuďom s problémom závislostí a ohrozeným sociálnym vylúčením, prostredníctvom prístupu na znižovanie škôd. Tento prístup nevyžaduje abstinenciu – zameriava sa na zlepšovanie starostlivosti o seba samého po fyzickej a psychickej stránke a popri tom podporuje motiváciu prestať s užívaním drog. Táto skúsenosť na ňu hlboko zapôsobila; ukázala jej nielen ničivé účinky spoločenského znevýhodnenia, ale práve možnosť spoznávať ľudí s tak komplikovanými životnými príbehmi jej pomohla uvedomiť si, že aj s malým úsilím – aktívnym počúvaním a rešpektom – môžeme dosiahnuť úžasné zmeny. Po dokončení programu Erasmus sa presťahovala do Španielska v rámci projektu Európskej dobrovoľníckej služby a pracovala ako dobrovoľníčka v jednej terapeutickej komunite. Tam sa opäť zamerala na rehabilitáciu a pracovnú reintegráciu ľudí s problémom drogových závislostí a s tými, ktorí trpeli HIV/AIDS.

Po tomto projekte sa rozhodla zostať v Španielsku a dokončiť magisterské štúdium sociálnej psychológie na Univerzite Complutense v Madride (UCM). Stále však bola presvedčená, že jej pravým poslaním je klinická psychológia, vďaka ktorej by mohla ponúknuť viac individualizovanej starostlivosti. Jej titul zo Slovenska nebol uznávaný v Španielsku, preto musela znovu začať svoje psychologické štúdium na UCM a následne pokračovať magisterským štúdiom v odbore všeobecnej zdravotnej psychológie na Univerzite Alfonso X El Sabio. Bolo to dlhé a náročné obdobie, počas ktorého Mária preukázala jednu zo svojich najsilných stránok: dôslednosť a schopnosť nasledovať svoje ciele. Na tieto roky však spomína ako na ako obdobie výnimočného osobného a profesionálneho rastu. Skombinovala štúdium s prácami v oblastiach nesúvisiacich s psychológiou, pričom si budovala nový život v inej krajine a budovala vzťahy s ľuďmi, ktorí sa neskôr stali jej novou rodinou.

Počas magisterského štúdia v odbore všeobecnej zdravotnej psychológie bola vybraná prostredníctvom náročného výberového procesu na stáž v SINEWS, kde sme sa okamžite zamilovali do nej a jej schopnosti pomáhať našim medzinárodným pacientom s úzkosťou, depresiou, ťažkosťami v medziľudských vzťahoch v dospelosti a ďalšími problémami… Nemohli sme ju nechať odísť.

Mária sa dnes naďalej vzdeláva v oblasti integratívnej terapie so zameraním na vzťahové väzby a traumy, s dôrazom na špecializáciu v EMDR. Jej terapeutický štýl práce je predovšetkým kognitívno-behaviorálny, založený na vedeckej presnosti, ale vždy prispôsobený individuálnym potrebám každého človeka. Je presvedčená, že všetci máme vo svojom vnútri obrovský potenciál čakajúci na svoje objavenie a že práve terapia je mocným nástrojom na jeho dosiahnutie. Prostredníctvom terapeutického procesu sa medzi terapeutom a pacientom vytvára jedinečné puto schopné liečiť hlboké rany, ktoré často ovplyvňujú náš spôsob bytia, veľakrát bez toho, aby sme si toho boli vedomí. Porozumie tomu, čo formovalo náš život a náš emocionálny svet, nám môže pomôcť robiť lepšie rozhodnutia a efektívnejšie zvládať naše emócie.

Mária was born in Slovakia, in a family where no one had previously decided to leave their country in search of a new home. Thus, she became the first to move abroad, driven by a desire to explore new opportunities. Motivated by an interest in people and their stories, she studied Psychology in her home country, where she went on to specialize with a master’s in organizational and educational psychology. During the final year of her postgraduate studies, she had the opportunity to participate in an Erasmus exchange in Portugal, at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro in Vila Real. Studying in a foreign country and in a language she wasn’t fully familiar with, helped her reflect on the importance of building a social support network when adapting to a new environment. It was there that her passion for therapeutic work was awakened.

During her studies in Slovakia, inspired by her brother, a dedicated social worker, she supported one of UNICEF’s projects, the “Child Safety Line”, where she answered calls from children and adolescents facing a wide range of issues, particularly survivors of bullying.

In the garage-playroom of the NGO Ulita, she worked through play with children and adolescents from an underprivileged neighborhood in Bratislava, which allowed her to gain insight into their lives and reaffirmed her desire to continue training to work with this population. Convinced that childhood and adolescence are stages with great potential for change and healing, she was able to see that play is not only a means of connection but also a safe space where they can receive full attention.

Later, she worked as a psychologist at the NGO Prima, helping people with addictions at risk of social exclusion through a harm reduction approach, where abstinence was not required. Instead, the focus was on improving self-care and fostering the desire to stop using substances. This experience had a profound impact on her, teaching her the devastating effects of marginalization, while the privilege of getting to know people with such complicated life stories allowed her to understand that with very little – simply active listening and respect – we can make a significant positive impact. After completing her Erasmus, she moved to Spain as a volunteer in a therapeutic community through the European Voluntary Service project. There, she once again focused on the rehabilitation and labor reintegration of individuals with drug dependencies and those suffering from HIV/AIDS.

After this project, she decided to stay in Spain and complete a master’s in social psychology at the Complutense University of Madrid. However, she remained convinced that her true calling was clinical psychology, where she could offer more individualized care. Her degree from Slovakia was not recognized in Spain, so she had to restart her psychology studies at UCM and then continue with a master’s in general health psychology at Alfonso X El Sabio University. It was a long journey filled with challenges, during which Mária demonstrated one of her greatest strengths: consistency and the ability to persist in her goals. She remembers these difficult years as a time of significant personal and professional growth. She balanced her studies with jobs in fields unrelated to psychology, all while building a new life in another country and forming deep bonds with people who would become her new family.

During her master’s in general health psychology, she was selected through a rigorous interview process to do her internship at SINEWS, where we immediately fell in love with her and her ability to help our international patients with anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties in adulthood, and more… We couldn’t let her go.

Today, Mária continues her training in integrative therapy, focusing on attachment and trauma, and specializing in EMDR. Her therapeutic method is primarily cognitive-behavioral, based on scientific rigor, but always tailored to the individual needs of each patient. She is convinced that we all have immense potential waiting to be discovered, and that therapy is a powerful tool to achieve this. Through the therapeutic process, a unique bond is created between therapist and patient, a bond capable of healing deep wounds that often influence our way of being without us even realizing it. our emotions more effectively. Understanding our origins and our emotional world helps us make better decisions and manage our emotions more effectively.

Chaimaa est une psychologue passionnée, originaire du Maroc. À l’âge de 17 ans, elle a pris la décision audacieuse de déménager en Espagne pour s’immerger dans la langue et la culture espagnoles tout en étudiant la psychologie. Sa fascination pour cette discipline est multidimensionnelle, lui offrant un stimulant constant pour explorer la complexité de l’esprit humain et son impact sur le comportement.

Avec une riche expérience multiculturelle, Chaimaa maîtrise plusieurs langues, dont l’arabe, le français, l’anglais et l’espagnol, ce qui lui permet d’offrir des thérapies dans différentes langues et de se connecter ainsi avec un large éventail de patients. Son parcours académique l’a menée à travers plusieurs villes d’Espagne, de Grenade et Almería jusqu’à Madrid, lui apportant non seulement des connaissances universitaires, mais aussi une profonde compréhension des diverses cultures présentes dans le pays.

Elle a obtenu son diplôme de psychologie à l’Université de Grenade, où elle a découvert sa passion pour la neuropsychologie clinique. Ses premières expériences pratiques étaient centrées sur la stimulation cognitive des nourrissons et des enfants atteints de trisomie 21, ce qui a éveillé son intérêt pour ce domaine d’étude. Par la suite, elle a complété un Master en Neuropsychologie Clinique, acquérant des compétences spécialisées dans l’évaluation et le traitement des troubles neurologiques. Engagée à approfondir le domaine de la neuropsychologie, elle a également obtenu un autre master en Sciences du Système Nerveux avec une spécialisation en rééducation neurologique. Lors de ses stages à l’Unité de Lésions Cérébrales Acquises de l’Hôpital de San Vicente à Madrid, elle a développé des compétences en rééducation neuropsychologique en prenant en charge des patients souffrant de traumatismes crâniens, de tumeurs, d’anoxies et d’infections.

Elle a aussi eu l’opportunité de faire des stages à SINEWS MTI, où elle a acquis de l’expérience en thérapie pour adultes et adolescents. Avec une expertise couvrant divers troubles, dont l’anxiété, la dépression, les phobies, le trouble du déficit de l’attention avec ou sans hyperactivité (TDAH), le stress post-traumatique (PTSD), entre autres, elle est en mesure de fournir un soutien adapté aux besoins individuels de chaque patient. Grâce à une approche intégrative et une solide formation en neuropsychologie et psychothérapie, elle accompagne ses patients dans la compréhension et la gestion de leurs difficultés pour favoriser leur bien-être mental et émotionnel.

Tout au long de son parcours académique et professionnel, elle a participé activement à des congrès et des cours en psychologie, enrichissant ainsi ses connaissances et se tenant informée des derniers progrès de la discipline.

Elle travaille avec une approche intégrative fondée sur des preuves, avec une forte influence cognitivo-comportementale, s’adaptant aux besoins de chaque individu pour identifier et renforcer leurs atouts. Avec une combinaison d’empathie, de savoir-faire et d’expérience, Chaimaa s’engage à offrir un soutien personnalisé et sans jugement à ceux qui souhaitent améliorer leur bien-être mental et émotionnel.