My Path as a Therapist
About Me
My name is Aspasia Markou (she/her), and I am a fully qualified psychotherapeutic counsellor registered with UKCP and BACP. I offer therapy from a person-centred experiential perspective, grounded in deep empathy, respect, and trust in each person’s unique process of growth and healing.
At the heart of my practice is the belief that you are the expert on your own life. I see my role not as someone to “fix” you, but as someone who will be fully present with you-gently holding space for whatever you need to explore. I aim to offer a warm, compassionate, and non-judgemental environment where you can feel safe to be yourself, just as you are.
Whether you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure of who you are, therapy with me offers a space to slow down, breathe, and begin making sense of your experience. I will meet you with sensitivity, patience, and curiosity - walking alongside you as we explore your thoughts, emotions, body, and story, at your own pace.
I understand how vulnerable it can feel to begin therapy. I deeply value the trust my clients place in me and I approach every session with care, humility, and a deep respect for the courage it takes to show up.
Training-Approach
I am trained in person-centred experiential psychotherapy, and my work is also informed by the Emotion-Focused approach, which recognises the power of working with emotion as a pathway to healing and change. Drawing from humanistic, cognitive-behavioural, and emotion-focused frameworks allows me to work in a flexible, collaborative, and responsive way -always tailored to the unique needs of the person in front of me.
Qualifications
- Postgraduate Advance Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling
NHS Psychotherapeutic Counselling Programme, Metanoia Institute
(July 2025)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling
NHS Psychotherapeutic Counselling Programme, Metanoia Institute
(2024)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Psychotherapeutic Counselling
NHS Psychotherapeutic Counselling Programme, Metanoia Institute
(2023)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Interventions
University College London (UCL)
(2022)
- Certificate in Humanistic Integrative Counselling
CPPD Counselling School, London
(2022)
- BA (Hons) in Psychology, Counselling & Psychotherapy
University of Bedfordshire
(2020)
CPD & Specialist Training
I am committed to ongoing professional development and have completed additional training in:
- Working with Long-Term Conditions (IAPT)
- CPD LGBTQIA+/GSRD Training
- CPD Cultural Awareness Training
- CPD Putting Polyvagal Theory into Practice
- CPD Treating the Challenging Client: Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST)
- CPD Working with Neurodiverse Clients
This continuing education supports my ability to work safely and affirmatively with a wide range of clients - including those navigating identity exploration, chronic illness, trauma, and neurodivergence.
My therapeutic stance is grounded in the person-centred principle that people thrive in the presence of empathy, acceptance, and authenticity, while also drawing on emotion-focused and trauma-informed approaches when needed.
Experience
I have over five years of experience working within the NHS, where I provided both therapy to a wide range of clients. My work has always aimed to create a therapeutic space where clients feel respected, empowered, and deeply understood.
Throughout this time, I have supported individuals from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, varying socioeconomic contexts, and across a wide age range, including young adults and older adults. This has helped shape a deeply inclusive, adaptable, and culturally aware approach to therapy.
As the perinatal lead in my NHS counselling service, I worked with mothers, fathers, and birthing people experiencing postnatal and postpartum depression, anxiety, and other emotional challenges during the perinatal period. I worked holistically, taking into account the wider psychosocial context, and liaising closely with multidisciplinary healthcare teams to ensure clients received integrated, compassionate care.
I was also part of the Gender and Sexuality team, where I provided affirmative therapy to clients from the LGBTQ+ community. My work in this area has been grounded in sensitivity to identity, gender expression, and the impact of discrimination or marginalisation, always seeking to offer a safe, validating and respectful space.