Elena Della Rosa:

Child & Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist (ACP)

I qualified as a Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist in 2013, having undertaken a six-year in-depth training in child and adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapy at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Centre in London.

Since then, I have worked as a child and adolescent psychotherapist in CAMHS (child and adolescent mental health services in the NHS), where I have undertaken short and long-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy with children and adolescents, with mild or complex difficulties.

I currently work in private practice with children entering adolescence through to young adults and their parents. I have a particular interest in working with adolescents and young adults who are struggling with the transition to adolescence or adulthood (and develop feelings of anxiety and depression as a result) and often find it difficult to navigate relationships inside and outside the family.

I have experience working alongside A&E and Paediatric ward medical staff when young people have found themselves self-harming and needing hospitalisation for short periods of time.

I also have a particular interest in, and experience of, working with parents who are supporting their children going through difficult phases and who are undertaking therapy (the children).

I believe this is a key part of the therapeutic work with children and young people, as they are often still living at home and need a network to be understanding and supportive of their emotional and psychological struggles.

How I work:
As part of my training, I focused on the importance of relationships and how our personal vulnerabilities get expressed towards those close to us, as well as our school friends or colleagues. I believe that understanding and recognising the feelings and responses which take place dynamically in our interactions with others can be the most important trigger for change.

Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is a non-directive therapy which allows the patient to express themselves and their concerns in a non-structured way (e.g. through play, dreams, art or non-verbal communication). This particular way of working can be very helpful for children and young adults who want to understand what is going on beneath the surface and explore the root and meaning of their emotional lives.

Becoming aware of unconscious unhelpful patterns is thought to allow children and adults to develop themselves and their potential more freely and fully.

My trainings:

• Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist (ACP accredited).
• Mentalization-based Treatment for Adolescents and for Families (I am also interested in the integration of Mentalization-based therapy (MBT)
• DIT training (Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy) to work short-term with adults and young people.
• Alongside my private practice, I undertake supervisions and academic work across different institutions.
• I am currently seeing clients face-to-face and online (Zoom, Skype, etc) and via phone. If you would like to book an appointment or ask me any questions, please contact me below.

***If you need more information and guidance about therapy, please use the contact form at the bottom of this page.***