Vergine Gulbenkian:
Trainee Person-Centred Counsellor (BACP student member)
Hello, I’m Vergine Gulbenkian, a trainee person-centred, pluralistic counsellor offering weekly online low-cost therapy.
I provide a warm, compassionate space where you can explore what matters most to you, in a way and at a pace that feels right for where you are in your life. My aim is to support your natural capacity for healing and self-understanding by creating the conditions where growth can take place—empathy, authenticity, and a non-judgemental presence.
My approach is rooted in person-centred values, with a pluralistic mindset. This means I deeply respect your autonomy and believe there’s no one-size-fits-all path to healing. Together, we can find ways of working that suit your needs, whether that involves talking, silence, reflection, or other creative approaches.
I come to counselling with a background in Craniosacral Therapy, which has taught me to listen with my whole self—body, mind, and presence. I also bring experience and training in trauma-informed work, somatic awareness, and mindfulness practices, all of which can support clients dealing with grief, anxiety, or overwhelming emotions.
Over the last year, I’ve been in placement with a bereavement service, supporting individuals through the complexities of loss and mourning. Supervisors and tutors have described me as authentic, intuitive, courageous, and self-aware—qualities I continue to nurture through regular personal therapy and supervision.
Story and metaphor also inform my way of working. As a professional storyteller, I’ve spent years engaging with myth and narrative as ways to make meaning. Sometimes, a story or image can offer gentle insight or create space for something unspoken to emerge.
My personal experiences have deeply shaped the therapist I’m becoming. I am an older woman, a mother, and part of an ethnic minority community. I have known grief, divorce, and the legacy of intergenerational trauma.
These experiences bring depth, empathy, and respect for the uniqueness of each person’s journey.
If you’re looking for a space to feel heard, to make sense of what’s going on, or to explore a part of yourself that’s calling for attention, I’d be honoured to accompany you.
