Ia Tollstam - Senior Associate Individuals

Years in practice - Since 2004

Ia’s core five year psychotherapeutic training was in Psychodynamic counselling, including an additional year of CBT and solution focussed therapy training, which led to BACP registration and accreditation. She also has training in Critical Incident and Trauma assessment. She currently offer both telephone and online therapy and in-Person in Muswell Hill N2 (Underground East Finchley) and in Harpenden AL5.

Working psychotherapeutically with severe and complex trauma for not-for-profit organisations such as ‘The Medical Foundation for the care of victims of torture and organised violence’ and Women's Centres for survivors of domestic violence led to a special interest in areas of trauma and loss.

Ia later undertook further Post Grad psychoanalytic training in the understanding of trauma at The Tavistock & Portman trust and later gained a MA in Counselling & Psychotherapy recognised through The University of East London and a certificate in Clinical Supervision from The British Psychotherapy Foundation.

She is currently a senior associate member of APPCIOS The Association for Psychodynamic Practice and Counselling in Organisational Settings and is active in supporting management and staff in organisations to think about ‘The Healthy Organisation’ from a psychoanalytic perspective, in addition to her work with individuals.

Ia currently offers telephone and on-line sessions. She also works in Swedish.

Services:

• Individual Therapy
• Psychodynamic Therapy
• Time-Limited Therapy
• Long term Therapy
• Solution Focused Therapy
• Online and Telephone Psychotherapy and Counselling
• Businesses and Organisations Therapy
• Private Insurance Therapy

Ia has extensive experience of working with individuals from all walks of life, who have lived through very difficult experiences and mental health issues, as well as those who want a space to reflect on creative processes, making important decisions, relationship issues or explore choice.

Alongside her private practice of 15+ years, she also has ten years’ experience of running and working within a number of student counselling services in Higher Education offering support to students and management consultations with tutors and other staff.

She also has many years’ experience as an on site Critical Incident responder, in both private and public sector corporate organisations and offer clinical supervision to other therapists on critical incident support.

Ia says:

“The psychotherapeutic space provides a safe, confidential and non-judgmental environment in which to reflect on those aspects of life that cause difficulties.  
Psychodynamic therapy aims to understand aspects of ourselves that we are less conscious of and how this impact on us and our capacity to engage, and to enjoy relationships and life in general. It provides the space to think more deeply about obstacles and help the person to feel relieved of distress in order to develop and grow. It involves discussing patterns of behaviour, families, relationships, memories and ideas, fantasies, dreams and significant events, with the hope of helping people understand something about what brought them to where they are today.”