My Approach

My approach is integrative and transpersonal, meaning we work with the whole of your experience: mental, emotional, social, physical, and spiritual. At its core, my work is about empowerment: supporting you to reconnect with your inner resources, move beyond limiting patterns, to live more freely and fully.

I work with people from many different backgrounds, whether you’re navigating complex trauma or simply feeling stuck and seeking a new direction. I also work with couples who want to strengthen, repair, or better understand their relationship.

Integrative Psychotherapy

At the heart of my work is the belief that we each have an innate drive toward growth and healing. Humanistic therapy focuses on the here-and-now, working together to uncover what feels authentic, empowering, and meaningful to you. It’s a deeply relational approach that encourages you to explore without judgement. My practice also draws on trainings in approaches such Gestalt, Internal Family Systems, Existential Relational Psychotherapy, ACT and Compassion Focused Therapy, so I can flexibly meet your needs and interests.

Areas I work with include:

• Anxiety, depression, stress, and emotional overwhelm
• Chronic pain and illness
• Complex trauma, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), emotional sensitivity and BPD
• Menopause, retirement, parenthood, and other major life transitions
• Low self-esteem, imposter syndrome, social anxiety and identity concerns
• Relationship challenges and couples work
• A desire for greater purpose, connection, or self-understanding

Integrative Yoga Psychotherapy

This approach blends modern psychotherapy with the wisdom of yoga and mindfulness traditions. Unlike typical yoga classes, this approach isn’t about physical postures—though tuning into the body plays a key role. Instead, we focus on how your breath, emotions, thoughts, and physical sensations interact, helping you process difficult experiences with greater ease.

This mind-body approach is especially helpful if you:

• Struggle with anxiety, trauma, or chronic stress
• Have a history of trauma
• Find it hard to put emotions into words
• Feel disconnected from your body or overwhelmed by sensations
• Want to reduce reliance on unhelpful coping habits
• Seek deeper self-understanding and emotional resilience
• In sessions, we may use gentle breathwork, mindful movement, visualisation, eye movement, or grounding exercises – always guided by your comfort level. These practices help calm and balance the nervous system, release stored physical and psychological tensions, and create a safer, more trusting relationship with your body. Over time, this can lead to lasting changes in how you manage stress, pain, sleep, and emotional challenges, whilst cultivating greater ease and self-compassion in everyday life.

Trainings and Experience 

I’m a registered Member of the National Council for Integrative Psychotherapists (M-NCIP), certified by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT), and accredited with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). 

I hold a PGCert in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy (UEL), and an Advanced Diploma in Yoga Therapy (The Minded Institute), and have undertaken many additional trainings in other psychotherapeutic and somatic modalities. I have a BA Hons in Philosophy (UCL).

I am a senior lecturer, course director, and supervision lead at The Minded Institute, where I help to train future yoga psychotherapists on the pioneering Integrative Yoga Psychotherapy Diploma. Alongside my private practice, I’ve worked in third-sector and NHS-linked services supporting people living with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, HIV, chronic pain, PTSD, and social isolation.

Links

http://themindedinstitute.com/profile/elaine-collins/

https://www.the-ncip.org/united-kingdom/london/integrative-psychotherapy/elaine-collins-362246

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Elaine-Collins-5

https://www.iayt.org/members/?id=53698223

Working Together

I offer one-to-one and couples sessions either in person (EC1/WC1, London) or online. Sessions are usually 75 minutes (shorter by arrangement), typically held weekly.

If you’re curious about working together, I would love to arrange a free, 20-minute chat to learn more.

Email: Hello@elainecollinstherapy.com
Web: https://elainecollinstherapy.com