Hi, I'm Carina (she/her) :-)
Online BABCP-Accredited CBT Therapist
also, Mindfulness Teacher & Imperfect Human
… and I have a complicated relationship with my overthinking mind :-)
That same mind which used to make me anxious, insecure, and really quite miserable (because I never quite fit the mold, and I was always the overachiever), holds much less power over my life today.
Now, as an online cognitive behavioural therapist based in East London (and most importantly, as a human), I get to be my authentic, messy, real self. And oh my, the peace and contentment that brings!
How did I get here? By learning to understand my mind instead of fighting with it - something that, for the longest time, felt impossible. (Hint hint it’s much the same stuff I offer in therapy now.)
A Therapist With a Story (Maybe Not So Different From Yours)
See, from kindergarten and through school, I was the ‘good kid’ - respectful, sensitive, conscientious. Not quite a recipe for popularity.
I was terrified of not doing well - I guess it had become my thing, doing well, because if I didn’t have that, what did I have?
In high school, I still struggled with preferring ‘deep’ conversations over hot chocolate to getting sh*tfaced in techno clubs. But, by a massive stroke of luck, I found people who pushed me to try stuff I was slightly scared of (because it didn’t fit my ‘good kid’ persona), while also accepting me wholly for who I was.
This gave me the confidence to leave my home country and move to the UK for uni. Was I still terrified of failure? You bet. I didn’t even apply for unis that required interviews because ‘I don’t interview well’. I was ashamed of getting poorer grades or not getting into the most prestigious graduate programmes as some friends.
But I persevered, until my (first) master’s year, when I cracked. New city (London), new pressures. I’d always been anxious (though I didn’t call it that - hindsight is 20:20), and in 2013, I was the kind of anxious that meant I'd rather watch horror movies than face a trip to the supermarket.
All I knew was that I had some sort of 'anxiety' and needed to 'face my fears'. But that was about as helpful as telling someone to 'just relax.' Then I turned things around…
Mindfulness found me.
(I don't even remember how - I just downloaded an app and sat with myself for 10 minutes). Something about it made sense in a way other approaches hadn't - I started noticing my thoughts instead of being kidnapped by them.
Later, I discovered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
It wasn't about fixing my anxiety (let me tell you a secret: trying to get rid of anxiety usually just creates more of it) - it was about learning to relate to it differently. Facing my fears - my thoughts, my feelings, what they were keeping me from - with curiosity, kindness, and no judgment. I still do this, every time I practise, and as much as I can in everyday life.
Here’s the crucial bit: I learned to own who I am, flaws and all - and that doing so doesn’t hold you back. It helps you move forward authentically.
My anxiety hasn’t magically disappeared. I still react automatically sometimes. But now, I notice faster, choose better, and show up in ways that feel like me. I enjoy being by myself now because I’m curious about what my mind and body come up with. And when I judge myself, overthink, or worry, I notice that too - without spiraling.
I offer Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based work, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) from East London, but fully online - so we can work together even if we live miles apart (apart from the US and Canada).
You can show up in a familiar, comfy space, with a hot drink, and get to work with the best therapist for you, while getting the same benefits (research shows online therapy is just as effective as in person).
Online Therapy From East London - For Clients Across the UK and More
As a trauma-informed therapist, I'm not here to fix you (you're not broken), calm you down (sometimes anxiety makes sense), or turn you into a zen master (I'm certainly not one).
I'm here to help you:
Not get lost in overthinking
Feel your feelings without them limiting you
Find the sweet spot between procrastinating and overdoing things
Be present in your life and enjoy the little moments - like slow quiet mornings with no rush, or a weekend without another soul in sight
Have more understanding and compassion for yourself
Know, deep down, that you are enough
What makes my approach different
I’m a BABCP-accredited, trauma-informed therapist and mindfulness teacher, and have a background in psychology and clinical neuroscience, plus years of academic research, clinical roles, and healthtech experience.
I also think that all of that means squat if you don’t feel safe, heard, and understood by me. So, here’s what you can expect…
Evidence-based approaches
ACT, CBT, mindfulness - no BS, airy-fairy stuff. No cluelessness as to the systems, culture, dynamics, and trauma that shape the way humans operate.
Understanding of good research
I’ve co-authored some scientific papers myself, and I’ll know when old approaches have been disproven, or when new exciting discoveries have been made.
Specialist care
Not an online diploma - years of intensive practice, supervision, and advanced study. Miles beyond “and how does that make you feel?”/”is there another way of thinking about this?”, into the core of anxiety, low self-esteem, high standards, phobias - not just in terms of awareness, but in terms of change.
Lived experience
I’m a high achieving introvert. And I have practised mindfulness personally since 2015, and have had my own therapy, mostly based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) - so I know what it’s like to be on both sides.
Trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming, LGBTQIA+ inclusive, and anti-oppressive care
I don’t shy away from talking about this stuff, and welcome you to come as your real, whole, authentic self. I hope you will feel heard, seen, understood, and empowered.
Human first, always
I’ll never pretend to have it all figured out. I bring humour, honesty, and openness into the work we do.
The official stuff (because credentials matter!)
Key credentials and experience:
Senior Cognitive Behavioural Therapist in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS)
CBT Course Supervisor for a BABCP-Accredited postgraduate diploma
British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP)-accredited therapist & supervisor
Mindfulness Teacher - Mindfulness Teacher Training Pathway, The Mindfulness Network/Bangor University
Professional/clinical experience:
Experience in academic research (University of Cambridge), other clinical roles (working with people with neurological conditions, children and teenagers, and adults with both common, and long-standing and complex difficulties), and healthtech (worked in a startup and spent three months in California at the world's leading startup accelerator)
Academic background:
MSc Psychological Therapies (Top-Up), University of Exeter
Clinical Supervisor Course (CBT/IAPT), University of Surrey
PGDip Psychological Intervention (CBT), University of Surrey
MSc Clinical Neuroscience, University College London (UCL)
BSc (Hons) Psychology, University of York
Published researcher with articles in peer-reviewed journal
I also have private indemnity insurance, an enhanced DBS, and receive regular supervision for my work, in accordance with the relevant governing bodies - the British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) and the British Association of Mindfulness-based Approaches (BAMBA).
The unofficial stuff (because this matters too, maybe even more)
I’m originally from Romania and moved to the UK aged 19 to study - I’m still here for now (East London)
I went to a German high school and technically German is my second language - but I’ve sort of lost it by not speaking it for so long
I used to listen to a lot of heavy (and other kinds of) metal music - I’ve seen Metallica and Iron Maiden live
When I'm not helping others navigate their messy minds, you'll find me:
Reading fiction
Wandering around museums, galleries, or theatres
Taking photos (all the ones on this site except most of the ones I'm in)
Travelling (went to Myanmar by myself)
Honestly, chilling at home a lot - I never get bored
Spending time with my adopted golden retriever, Calli (who, frankly, is better at living in the moment than I'll ever be)
What’s in a name? - The story of ‘Project Even Keel’
You may or may not have noticed the name I gave to this thing we’re doing here - Project Even Keel. So if you don’t know what a bloody keel is in the first place, or you know it’s something to do with boats, but the dots connecting isn’t happening (wouldn’t blame you!!) - here’s a lil’ video in which I explain the mystery.