Dr. Alina Charnavusava
Psychologist Expert in Gestalt TherapyI dedicate my life to integrating a wide range of psychotherapeutic methods, synthesizing my professional and personal experiences. I offer psychological sessions to individuals and couples facing relational and emotional conflicts, as well as communication difficulties. I accompany individuals in a process of awareness that helps them discover their own creative ways to face life.
Through your psychotherapeutic journey, you can recognize and let go of limiting thoughts and expectations and begin by learning to face existential challenges differently to create the life you desire.
I believe that every challenge in life is a great opportunity for personal growth!
My Experience
During my years of professional practice, I have accumulated extensive experience in different fields, and each of these has contributed to my integrated approach. I have dedicated myself to developing a psychotherapeutic method that manages to syncretize Clinical Psychology, Gestalt Psychotherapy, Art Therapy, and Neuroscience.
Professional Experience and Professional Registrations
I am a licensed psychotherapist, registered with the professional board (No. 27195). I trained at Sapienza University of Rome, where I earned a Master’s degree in Cognitive Neuroscience.
Specializations and Skills
I then integrated my studies with a specialization in Gestalt psychotherapy at the Gestalt Institute of Florence (IGF) and art therapy training at EEAT. These specializations have allowed me to diversify therapeutic tools based on the needs of each person who turns to me.
I have attended various conferences and seminars led by Paolo Quattrini, Jean-Marie Robine, and Oliviero Rossi, to whom I am infinitely grateful for the opportunity they gave me to deepen various therapeutic experiences and enrich my background as a psychotherapist.
Research and Mindfulness
In my research titled “The Benefits of Mindfulness on Well-being,” I explored the neurological changes induced by Mindfulness meditation in individuals suffering from anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. On a practical level, I have conducted Mindfulness meditation sessions in Gestalt groups, introducing participants to meditation and leading them to a state of mental peace, greater self-awareness, and, consequently, personal growth.
Community Support and Humanitarian Work
I have dedicated a lot of time to psychological assistance for immigrants and refugees, working with the Red Cross. I tried to help these people rebuild their lives and find balance in a new environment and a different culture. This experience allowed me to commit myself more to marginalized communities to promote psychophysical well-being and, with a transcultural approach, mental health, as well as understanding even more the value of diversity in society.
Corporate Experience
I enriched my professional experience with an internship on “individuals and organizations” at ENEL. Here, I analyzed psychological dynamics in groups, planned corporate activities, and organized well-being events to help managers to improve their skills; this opened up a new vision for me on relational dynamics and the importance of fostering employee well being.
Work in Education
I worked in schools with children from foreign families and with children with disabilities and learning difficulties. My role consisted of helping the children integrate and develop communication skills, ensuring they received the support they needed to grow academically and socially.
Intercultural Seminars and Workshops
I collaborate in the organization of intercultural seminars in Italy, aimed at improving psychophysical well being through Eastern practices and traditional Chinese medicine.
These seminars combine different cultures and introduce ancient techniques aimed at improving physical and mental health, providing concrete tools to address numerous issues.
I lead Gestalt groups and art therapy-based workshops, focusing on various psychological topics.
Through these meetings, participants acquire fundamental skills to improve their relationship with themselves and others, and, consequently, improve their quality of life, develop better emotional management, and stimulate creativity.
I offer psychological sessions in Italian, English, and Russian, providing my international experience along with my clinical skills to promote well being and personal development.
How does the process of transformation unfold?
Much of psychological suffering emerges during moments of existential crisis or transition. When we face significant changes in our lives such as a loss, a job change, or a new phase in a relationship it can happen that the behaviors and coping strategies we developed in the past are no longer effective. However, we often continue to apply them automatically, without being aware of how different the present situation is from the past one.
This disconnection between what we do and what we are experiencing in the here and now is one of the main sources of psychological distress. Instead of responding to current situations in new ways, we find ourselves relying on outdated patterns that no longer allow us to deal effectively with the challenges of the present. This distress can manifest in many forms: anxiety, depression, difficulties in relationships, or a general feeling of being stuck.
The Gestalt approach, which I apply in the therapeutic relationship, aims to bring these automatic patterns to light and to develop a deeper awareness of how an individual relates to themselves and to the world around them. Through dialogue and the exploration of present experience, with empathy I seek to support the person in becoming aware of their thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and unfamiliar parts of themselves, and of how these influence the way they live their life.
In Gestalt therapy, there is a strong focus on the experience of the present moment the “here and now.” This approach makes it possible to interrupt the cycle of unconscious habits and to explore new ways of being, acting, and relating, while taking responsibility for one’s own life. It is not only about analyzing the past, but about understanding how past experiences influence your present life and how you can transform them in order to adapt. differently to the present.
The body plays a fundamental role in this process. My therapeutic approach is not limited to working with the mind; it also involves the body as a tool for awareness. Through body awareness exercises, imaginative techniques such as the “empty chair,” posture changes, body movement, breathing techniques, and mindfulness, the person, during their therapeutic journey, can discover how their emotions and thoughts manifest physically and learn to use this awareness to let go of what they no longer need, thus creating space for something more “nourishing.”
I also integrate art therapy into the Gestalt approach, which offers an additional channel for creative exploration. Expressive techniques such as intuitive drawing, mindful dance, and metaphorical associative cards (MAC) make it possible to express deep inner experiences that often cannot be put into words, fostering insight and integration.
During psychological sessions, in an experiential way, we work on building new foundations of self support, developing greater self confidence and healthier relationships with one’s inner world. We also work on creativity in order to face new experiences with greater awareness and freedom to express one’s emotions and thoughts.
In this transformation process, the psychotherapist is not a judge or a teacher, but a traveling companion who accompanies you on a journey of growth and self-discovery in a safe and protected space.
I conduct sessions in three languages: English, Russian, and Italian.
