CBT, DBT, Narrative Therapy, Family Therapy, MBT, Mindfulness
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
University of East London, UK
MSc in Psychology
Olomouc University, Czech Republic
I am a UK trained chartered clinical psychologist registered with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and a university lecturer. I have lived in a number of countries, which has made me more sensitive to cultural issues and discrimination. I speak Slovak, Czech and English fluently, a bit of German and I’m learning Portuguese.
I have over 15 years of clinical experience which I have mainly gained in the NHS but also within the private organisations and third sector. During my career, I have worked in various settings, including inpatient, outpatient and community; and with people across a range of age groups, including children, adults and older adults. I have delivered individual, group, couple and family therapy. In addition, I have provided training, supervision and consultation to other health professionals, teams and services. Alongside my clinical practice, I have been a visiting lecturer at University of East London, Institute of Psychiatry and Canterbury Christ Church University where I have been teaching on the subject of clinical psychology, including CBT, Systemic Family Therapy, Narrative Therapy, research methods and critical psychology.
I have training and experience in a range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Trauma Focused CBT, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy, Systemic (family) Therapy, Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT), and Solution Focused Therapy. This allows me to flexibly use different therapies or their aspects to fit your particular needs.
I offer a short-term, goal-oriented therapy as well as long-term, explorative individual psychotherapy. I can provide anger and stress management, culturally sensitive parenting support and couple therapy. In addition, I offer supervision and consultation to other mental health practitioners.
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
University of East London, UK
MSc in Psychology
Olomouc University, Czech Republic
Narrative Therapy
University College Hospital, London (2014)
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
The Huntercombe Hospital (2013-2014)
Systemic Family Therapy
The Tavistock and Portman Trust, London (2012-2013)
Motivational Interviewing
National Problem Gambling Clinic, London (2011)
Mentalization Based Therapy
Anna Freud Centre, London (2008)
Would you like to find new ways of coping with the issues that have been plaguing your life for a long time? Are you fed up with thinking that ‘this needs to change’, and although perhaps still hesitating a bit, you are ready to embark on the journey toward positive change?
I help people of all ages experiencing a variety of issues such as eating, worries, anxiety, self-esteem, loss and bereavement, stress, low mood, anger, panic, various types of addictions including gambling, couple and family problems as well as difficulties described as trauma, psychosis, personality disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and ADHD.
I endeavour to facilitate my clients in understanding and approaching life challenges in more adaptive ways in order to enhance their overall wellbeing.
During our brief initial contact either via phone or email we discuss what kind of support you’re looking for and establish a plan for our sessions. I offer a free 15-minute telephone consultation. You can also ask any questions you may have.
The first session will be an assessment where I would like to get to know you a bit better. You will have the opportunity to share your concerns and difficulties, the impact they have on your life, and what you would like to get from therapy. I may ask questions about different areas of your life to understand how they are connected to your concerns. However, there will be no pressure to share anything more than you feel comfortable with. It will be also an opportunity for you to see if the sessions with me ‘work’ for you. We agree on a plan of action and the ways of working together (e.g. number of sessions, frequency of sessions, therapeutic approach).
If we decide to work together, I can offer weekly, fortnightly or monthly sessions. We will spend the first few sessions developing a detailed and shared understanding of your concerns and issues.
I endeavour to be genuine and work transparently. This means that I will share my ideas about your issues with you, including what may have been maintaining your difficulties and how to effectively work with them. I may use flipchart paper and pens to demonstrate different ways of understanding the problem. I am also happy to share my session notes with you at any time.
My therapy sessions are collaborative and focus on your chosen goals. What we discuss is confidential unless there is a disclosure of risk. I try to get your feedback at each session in order to ensure maximum therapy satisfaction and maintain an effective therapeutic relationship. I appreciate the resources and strengths available to people and use them therapeutically to create a long-lasting, positive change.
You can terminate therapy at any time by letting me know during our session or via telephone or email.
All my sessions are currently provided online via Skype/video call.
Kovacova, K. (preparing for publication). Clinical psychologists’ constructions of their work with children. Exploring professional language using discursive psychology.
Afonu, D., Kovacova, K. & Unwin, A. (2016). Is it Possible to Take a Liberation Approach as a Clinical Psychology Trainee? In T. Afuape, & G. Hughes (Eds.), Liberation Practices: Towards Emotional Wellbeing Through Dialogue. London: Routledge.
Rossouw, T., Fonagy, P., Kovacova, K., Stathopoulou, E., Wright, C., Vrouva, I. (in prep). Exploring the link between depression and personality disorder: a systematic review of longitudinal studies from adolescence into adulthood.
Kovacova, K. et al. (2006). Exploring media representations of substance misuse using content analysis. Presentation at conference related to alcohol and drug issues, Prague.
My sessions last 50-60 minutes and cost £100-120 depending on the type of therapy and the time and day of the week. I also have some flexibility for people facing financial hardship should you need that.
I offer a free 15-minute telephone consultation to briefly discuss your concerns and what kind of support you’re looking for.
All my sessions are currently provided online via Skype/video call.
Fees for couples intervention and family sessions will vary depending on the circumstances. Please feel free to contact me to discuss this further.
Fees for other services such as bespoke training, consultation or supervision will vary depending on a range of factors (e.g. preparation time, duration of the session, etc). Please feel free to contact me to discuss this further.