Weronika Halwa

Hello,

My name is Weronika and I am a Dance and Movement Psychotherapist with a background in psychology, cultural anthropology and philosophy. I have also completed a one-year training in Jungian analysis. I gained my professional experience working in psychotherapeutic centers and psychiatric hospitals in Belgium and also in organizations focused on LGBTQ+ mental health in Poland.

In my work I stay open to different therapeutic approaches and tailor them to the needs of the other person. What is most important to me is creating a space that feels safe and respectful, allowing us to go on a therapeutic journey. During therapy I stay attentive to both difficulties and resources. I look at a person as a whole, instead of seeing a bunch of issues that need to be addressed. I believe that this is what allows for a real, healing connection.

My training in Dance and Movement Psychotherapy allows me to listen not only to the words, but also to what the body has to say. I often find that the truth of the body is more direct and simple than our complicated thoughts, which can paradoxically make it harder to access. Staying attentive to our bodies helps us express things that need to be seen and taken care of, while the mind can sometimes do everything not to confront it. This is surely no easy process, but once the mind-body connection gets stronger, it can allow us to hear our own voice more clearly, build a sense of trust towards ourselves and to see the body not as an object ruled by the head, but as a rightful part of who we are.

Creativity and spontaneous expression are very close to my heart. I am drawn to working with metaphors and images, as well as exploring dreams. I believe that a creative space in which spontaneous play is allowed gives us a possibility to surprise ourselves and explore new ways of being that otherwise seem to be stuck in the same pattern for a long time.

APPROACH

During therapy I offer space to look for what is true and authentic for each person and how it can inform the process of healing. This happens in a verbal conversation, but can also be explored through the language of movement and other creative methods. I work individually with adults as well as with groups using various methods related to conscious movement (such as LBMS, Authentic Movement and others) as well as verbally. I am interested in the connection between mind and body, and I believe that the body can sometimes speak in ways that are difficult to express through words. Still, you are only invited to move if you feel comfortable with it and it is definitely not a must - sometimes it is enough to give the body a little bit of attention by listening to the breathing, or relaxing a little.

I offer therapy in English and Polish, but I also speak Dutch, dus als je af en toe iets liever in het Nederlands wilt uitleggen, dan is het zeker geen probleem.