Dr. Gergana Ganeva
PhD, MBACP, CPsychol, HCPC, PGCTHE
My therapeutic practice integrates diverse ways of knowing and collaboration through creative, embodied and talking methods. I believe in the individual capacity for growth, healing, and emotional well-being that could be consolidated within a warm, caring, and non-judgemental environment. In my last 20 years of professional experience as a psychologist, social worker, counsellor, talking therapist, and Art psychotherapist, I have supported clients with existential, career, and relationship issues, or experiencing emotional distress. My values are founded on the humanistic understanding that does not pathologise emotional distress, avoids labels, and focuses on potentiality and growth. I align with person-focused approaches to understanding human experiences (Rogers, 1951) with focus on relational depth (Mearns and Cooper, 2018), empathic understanding, genuineness, acceptance, unconditional positive regard and regarding each individual as an expert in their experiences (Rogers, 1959). I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, the British Psychological Society and The Health and Care Professions Council.
My calling is to support individuals, couples and groups through emotional, relational, and existential challenges. My therapeutic practice integrates diverse ways of knowing and collaboration, using creative, embodied, and talking methods, to facilitate deep self-exploration and healing.
I believe in the human capacity for growth, healing, and transformation, a process that thrives within a warm, caring, and non-judgmental therapeutic relationship. Rather than pathologising distress, I see emotions as meaningful messengers. My work is about honoring your lived experience and helping you explore, reframe, and transform challenges in a way that aligns with your values and aspirations.
My therapeutic approach is grounded in humanistic and person-centered principles, drawing inspiration from relational depth and contemporary therapy models. I create a warm, non-judgmental space where you can feel truly seen and heard.
My Experience
I work with international clients from all over the world, offering individual, couples, and group therapy. My belief is that therapy is a co-created process, a dynamic space where clients feel truly heard, understood, and empowered. Counselling, psychotherapy, and art therapy offer unique ways to explore and express thoughts and emotions, and I integrate these methods to help individuals connect with their inner wisdom, navigate life’s challenges, and foster resilience. Working with diverse communities, including those navigating migration, trauma, rehabilitation, and life transitions, I have witnessed the profound impact of integrating creative and verbal therapeutic approaches in fostering connection, self-awareness, and change.
My work has spanned private practice, mental health services, migration and asylum support, offender rehabilitation, and education. I’ve co-developed well-being programs that address social inequalities, using arts-based and integrative therapy to foster connection, healing, and self-discovery.
My Approach
Therapy is a co-created process, dynamic, personal, and deeply transformative. My role is to facilitate a collaborative space that honors your unique journey. My integrative approach draws from Person-Centred, Emotion-Focused Process, Experiential, Expressive Arts Therapy, Psychodynamic, and Jungian traditions, allowing for a nuanced and responsive therapeutic experience.
Inspired by Martin Buber’s I-Thou philosophy, I prioritize authentic, present-moment connection in therapy. Rather than searching for fixed “truths,” we engage in an evolving process of becoming fluid, transformative, and unique to you.
While I bring extensive training and therapeutic knowledge, I see my role as a facilitator rather than an expert on my clients’ experiences. My practice is not about imposing solutions but about collaboratively exploring meaning, patterns, and unconscious processes, allowing for insight, growth, and self-discovery. Whether through counselling, psychotherapy, expressive arts, or embodied approaches, I create a space that encourages deeper emotional connection, transformation, and integration.
I am a registered member of:
- British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
- British Psychological Society (BPS) – Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol)
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT)
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
I hold a PhD in psychology and psychotherapy, alongside multiple post-graduate degrees in counseling, social work, and art psychotherapy.
Professional Memberships & Qualifications
Research & Academic Contributions
With a deep commitment to lifelong learning and the advancement of psychotherapy, I have spent decades engaged in both academic study and teaching. My experience spans higher education, curriculum development, and research, allowing me to stay at the forefront of emerging trends in counselling, psychotherapy, and integrative therapeutic approaches.
As an educator and researcher, I have designed and facilitated undergraduate and postgraduate Counselling and Psychotherapy curricula, mentoring future practitioners while contributing to ongoing discussions in therapeutic practice and psychological inquiry. Engaging as an educator and journal reviewer, I remain actively involved in shaping the field, ensuring that my work is informed by current research, ethical practice, and innovative methodologies.
Key Research Areas
- Trauma & Expressive Arts Therapy: Exploring how creative interventions support healing.
- Migration & Identity: Working with individuals navigating displacement and transitions.
- Power, Marginalization & Social Justice: Addressing systemic issues through therapeutic practice.
My PhD research, titled "Supporting the Health and Wellbeing of People Trafficked into Modern Slavery in the UK: A Collaborative Arts-based Approach," explored the therapeutic applications of creative and embodied methods, examining how art therapy and expressive techniques facilitate emotional processing, self-awareness, and healing. I am particularly interested in the intersection of creativity, trauma-informed practice, and depth psychology, researching how integrative approaches can enhance therapeutic effectiveness across different cultural and individual contexts.
I welcome opportunities to collaborate, share knowledge, and connect with like-minded professionals. Feel free to reach out to discuss therapy, research, or creative approaches to well-being.
Main Areas of Professional Experience
Life Transitions & Turning Points
Spirituality
Relationships
Career Difficulties
Depression
Stress & Anxiety
Coping with Life Changes
Identity & Self-Acceptance
Additional Areas of Focus
Family conflicts, Trauma & abuse, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Parenting, Anger management, Self-esteem, Abandonment, Adoption & Foster Care, Attachment issues, Autism & Asperger’s, Blended family issues, Cancer, Caregiver stress, Communication problems, Communication & Conflict Resolution, Divorce & separation, Domestic violence, Emptiness, Expats, Family of origin issues, Fertility challenges, Forgiveness, Guilt & shame, End-of-life counselling, Immigration issues, Isolation & loneliness, Life purpose, Midlife crisis, Multicultural concerns, Pregnancy & childbirth, Self-love, Sexual assault & abuse, Social anxiety & phobia, Women’s issues, Workplace issues, Young adult concerns.