the team

 Jacqueline obtained a Master’s Degree in Gestalt Psychotherapy from G.P.T.I.M and a Bachelor in Psychology (Hons) Degree from the University of Malta. 

After graduating she started working with autistic children at Eden Foundation. She then worked in a residential setting with adult and child victims of domestic violence. Following this she worked as a youth worker with disadvantaged youths and as a career advisor with youths 16yrs upwards in a vocational setting. She volunteered with both the Suicide Helpline and organized children’s camps for the Sisters of Mother Theresa in Vittoria Sicily during summer periods.

In private practice she offers both online and face-to-face psychotherapy and coaching sessions with adults in English, Maltese and Italian. Her interests and experience range from short term solution focused therapy and coaching for personal development and career change to open ended therapy for clients suffering from low self-esteem, anxiety and depression, relationship issues, burnout, bullying, bereavement, identity and sexuality issues, abuse and trauma. 

Having worked within the private aviation sector for many years she also deals with certain specific issues related to aviation. 

She has lived abroad for 16 years and this enriching experience of living in many different countries also helps her support expats trying to adjust to life in Malta. She adopts an integrative approach, drawing upon different approaches depending on the clients’ unique needs. These include: Gestalt, Person-centred and Relational psychotherapy, Cognitive-Behavioural (CBT), Neuro linguistic Programming (NLP), Coaching and Mindfulness.

Jacqueline loves being outdoors immersed in nature trekking, swimming, kayaking and sailing. She is presently exploring nature photography and loves travelling.

Marthese Vassallo is a Warranted Counsellor qualified in counselling and psychotherapy. She developed a love for counselling after she herself experienced the benefits of psychotherapy when going through difficult life events in the past.

She pursued her studies as a mature student and received her MSc in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy (Derby) and her MA in Education, Pastoral Care (Loughborough) both with Distinction. She also obtained a Post Graduate Adv. Dip. in Humanistic and Integrative Counselling (London) and an Adv. Dip in Relational Supervision (Severn).

Marthese has been counselling adults, adolescents and couples for over 25 years, dealing with issues such as self-esteem, understanding oneself better, relationships, anxiety and depression amongst others.  She has also worked extensively with adult survivors of child sexual abuse, an area she thoroughly researched throughout her studies.

For 13 years she was employed as a Senior Counsellor at MCAST (Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology) where she managed the counselling services.  There, she also carried out counselling sessions and mentored a team of counsellors and psychotherapists.

She holds each individual at heart and allows an open and non-judgemental dialogue to develop.

Karen Decelis obtained her Master’s Degree in Counselling from the University of Malta. She mainly takes on a Person-Centred Approach although she draws in techniques from Cognitive Behavioural 

Therapy, Gestalt Psychotherapy and Brief Solution Focused Therapy amongst others. 

After obtaining a Degree and Post-Graduate Diploma in Psychology from the University of Malta.  Karen worked at Inspire Malta as a Tutor with children with Autism. She then moved to a Local Domestic Violence Shelter where she was a Key Worker with women and children who experienced Domestic Violence. That is where she decided she wanted to pursue a career in 

counselling, and applied for a Masters in Counselling. 

For the last four years, Karen has been working therapeutically with children and adolescents at a local College. She works with children who are coming from diverse backgrounds with a number of different issues. She has also provided Counselling Sessions for adults at Victim Support Malta, Fleur de Lys Community Centre and Caritas Counselling Unit. Her main areas of interest include: 

Depression and Anxiety, Confidence and Self-Esteem Issues, Sexual Abuse, Social Problems, Anger Management, PTSD, Trauma and Parent-Child Difficulties.  

She is currently working at the college and in private practice as a counsellor, and is Vice-PRO at the Malta Association for the Counselling Profession.   

Moyra has a Masters Degree in Gestalt Psychotherapy and is a warranted Gestalt Therapist. She has a passion for supporting people to regain their inner peace, after experiencing difficult life events. She believes that through the therapeutic relationship, clients can discover aspects of themselves that they never really knew existed. She loves to help people overcome blocks and move ahead to healthier and more fulfilling paths.

She works in a number of areas which include:

· Depression

· Anxiety

· Self esteem issues

· Relational issues

· Work related stress

Over the past five years she has worked in a number of multidisciplinary teams, to support young adults in post-secondary/tertiary education and people with eating disorders. She has supported adolescents for the past 11 years and lectures in Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Skills.

She offers both online and face-to-face sessions.

Moyra is an animal lover, enjoys nature, yoga and sports.

She believes that everyone stands to benefit from therapy and nothing surpasses the beauty of self-empowerment and life fulfilment.

Christy received her Bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Malta and her Masters' degree in Gestalt Psychotherapy from the Gestalt Psychotherapy Institute Malta. 
Christy has experience working with a variety of issues including, trauma, depression, anxiety, loss, sexual abuse/rape, and adjustment to life changes gained through a variety of therapeutic settings. She has worked in a rehabilitation programme for people suffering from substance addiction at Caritas Malta and also has experience in running a service for people affected by suicide at Victim Support Malta through her Role as head of  Suicide Prevention Outreach and Therapeutic Services.
Christy`s current practice focuses on supporting clients to navigate past adversity, trauma, depression/anxiety, loss, life transitions, and changes in identity and relationships. She uses various forms of creative expression in her practice to help individuals explore feelings, learn healthy coping skills, and improve their quality of life. Christy believes in the power of the therapeutic relationship. She genuinely values the importance of creating a safe compassionate place while building rapport with her clients. She hopes to help you engage and enhance your capacity for self-awareness to better understand and navigate your past, present, and future allowing you to feel empowered and hopeful in spite of hardships. Through walking alongside you in whatever journey you are on, Christy hopes to support you in finding purpose, joy, and fulfillment in your life. 

Kylie holds a Masters degree in Family Therapy and Systemic Practice, a post-graduate in Personal, Social and Emotional Development, and an undergraduate in Youth and Community studies. She is currently based in different primary schools, middle and secondary school in a local college where she works therapeutically with children, young people and their families.  In the schools, the voluntary organisation she is part of, and in her private practice, Kylie works with families and couples to help their relationships become less troubled and more nurturing. She believes relationships are the living links that join family members. Family therapy and couple therapy can offer the space to explore the many parts of these relationships helping you to come to an understanding of the system you are living in. Kylie’s belief is that each individual has the inner strength to flourish and sometimes all is needed is support, awareness and understanding bringing family members together creating a new vitality in their relationships. Informed by a variety of systemic modalities, with a little fun and creativity thrown in, Kylie will work collaboratively with you and strive to create an atmosphere of safety, collegiality and growth. 

“I want to appreciate you without judging. Join you without invading. Invite you without demanding. Leave you without guilt (Virginia Satir – Family Therapist)”

 Anita Leeanna Portelli was born in London and moved to Malta in 1976. Anita works as a Gestalt Psychotherapist.  She also holds an ITEC diploma in Massage Therapy and runs the Malta Endometriosis support group and is Vice President of the Malta Infertility Network. She is involved in a number of organizations including Crisis Resolution Malta and ALS Malta and The Malta Trust Foundation.   Anita works with clients on a variety of themes such as anxiety and loss of self.  She has a special interest in Health Psychology and working with individuals and their families suffering with chronic pain or illness.  She believes that one of the first ways to support clients is to help them in finding ways to lift their emotional conditioning so they are freed up to meet their needs effectively. 

Veronique is a warranted counsellor whograduated from Masters in Counselling in 2014. She has created a Community Service Centre and worked in this setting, helping clients with various different issues. Some issues include cancer-related support for caregivers, couples’ issues, family therapy, group therapy, sexual identity, domestic violence and trauma, among others. She also worked in a more medical setting, helping clients with eating disorders and obesity. 

Veronique believes that everyone has the ability to find balance in their life, and that the space given in counselling helps in finding that balance. Veronique works with individual clients, couples and groups.

Veronique loves music, reading, travel and photography. She also loves finding quiet moments by the sea and amongst nature.

Abigail holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology and Communications, Robbins Madanes Life Coaching Certification, along with over 10 years of  working in C Level corporate sales. As an ambitious woman who always strived to climb the career ladder, she realised that to achieve continued career success, she also needs to work on self-development, self-acceptance and self-love.

Overcoming challenges at work led Abigail to become inquisitive about other areas of her life like relationships, family dynamics, body image, spirituality and childhood traumas. Over the years of managing large sales teams on an international level, she used her personal coaching to also coach her sales people. Developing skilled sales members who also practiced self awareness and observations, helped her to join start-up companies and build their sales strategy and teams for years until she realised that what fulfilled her was seeing people become successful rather than money and sales targets.

Abigail's passion towards self-development and growth led her to start coaching individuals to follow the journey that she started years ago for herself. Her objective as a Transformational Coach is to coach clients short term to help them achieve their immediate goals in life. She thoroughly examines patterns that clients develop, guides towards awareness of such patterns and together with the client, finds alternative healthier approaches that align with the client's objectives. Abigail strongly believes that everyone has the potential for growth if they believe in doing the work. For her, success is when a client feels empowered to make a change and becomes ready to align with their higher self.