About me and how I work
Trauma-informed relational psychotherapy grounded in careful pacing, body awareness, and respectful attention to the nervous system.
I’m Paolo Imbalzano, a UKCP-registered psychotherapist and clinical supervisor, and a BACP-registered member.
I offer trauma-informed relational psychotherapy with a body-aware, nervous-system-focused approach. Where clinically appropriate, I may integrate ILF neurofeedback in person as an adjunct to psychotherapy to support regulation and stability.
You are welcome here — whether this is your first time in therapy, or you have tried therapy before and are still looking for something that genuinely helps.
Many people who come to me have already thought deeply about what is happening, but something in them still does not feel settled. My way of working tends to suit people who want careful pacing, stabilisation when needed, and trauma-informed depth — especially where talking alone has not shifted what is happening in the body and nervous system.
My way of working is steady, collaborative, and attentive to what your system can manage.
The aim is not only greater understanding, but helping you feel more settled, more able to connect, and more able to respond with greater choice in everyday life and relationships.
How I work with you matters as much as what I do
You may understand your difficulties very well — and still find your body reacting as if safety cannot quite be felt yet.
I work collaboratively and transparently. We go slowly enough for your system to stay with us, we keep checking what is helping, and we treat the therapeutic relationship as one of the main foundations for change.
I do not expect you to arrive with everything clearly explained. Often, we begin by noticing what feels difficult, confusing, or hard to shift — and working from there.
This can be especially helpful when old survival patterns show up most strongly in moments of stress, relationship, conflict, or emotional overwhelm, even when another part of you understands what is happening.
Read more:
Three foundations of my work
Relational depth — patterns often become more workable within a safe therapeutic relationship.
Nervous system awareness — we build stability and capacity so the work remains steady and tolerable.
Integrative practice — I draw on different methods when helpful, matched to your needs and readiness.
Together, these foundations are there to help the work feel both deep and manageable — steady enough for your system to stay with, and meaningful enough to support lasting change.
Training highlights
My core trainings include:
Relational Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy (MSc / CTA-P)
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (Level 1 & 2)
Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) (Levels 1–3 completed; working towards DBR-P status)
EMDR (Parts 1–3)
Neurofeedback training (ILF approach)
Clinical supervision training
I am also engaged in further academic study in clinical psychology, alongside my psychotherapy training.
What matters most in practice is not how many approaches I have trained in, but how carefully they are used in service of a coherent, responsive, and well-paced therapeutic process.
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Professional registration and memberships
I am registered as a Psychotherapist with UKCP and BACP, and practise in line with their ethical frameworks.
I am also listed in the UKCP Supervisor directory, work as a clinical supervisor, and follow the relevant supervision standards.
My professional memberships include:
IARTA
EATA
Metanoia Institute
Psychotherapy approaches I integrate
I integrate elements from several approaches, guided by pacing, readiness, and what feels most helpful.
This may include Relational Transactional Analysis, psychodynamic approaches, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, IFS-informed parts work, EMDR, Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), and, where appropriate, ILF neurofeedback.
These approaches are not layered on mechanically. They are woven into one relational, trauma-informed, and carefully paced way of working, shaped around what is most helpful and tolerable for you.
Tap a section to expand and find out more.
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Relational Transactional Analysis is the foundation of my work. It supports therapy that is both relational and psychologically deep — while staying practical and grounded.
Working relationally means we don’t only talk about your life; we also pay attention to what happens between us, moment to moment. This is often where long-standing patterns become clearer — and where change becomes possible.
The relationship is the therapy’s most valuable asset — we build it first, and we protect it throughout.
Relational TA also gives us a clear way to understand different “parts” of you — for example an inner critic, a younger vulnerable place, or a coping part that keeps pushing through. Together we slow things down, make sense of what each part is trying to do for you, and practise new ways of being with yourself and with others — with more steadiness, choice, and self-respect.
Combined with the other approaches I integrate, it allows a flexible way of working with trauma, attachment, and relationship patterns.
Read more:
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Sometimes people feel caught between different inner responses — one part wants things to change, while another feels anxious, critical, protective, overwhelmed, or shut down. IFS-informed parts work understands these responses as meaningful adaptations, often shaped by life experience, stress, or trauma.
In therapy, we make space to notice these different parts with curiosity and compassion rather than trying to fight or silence them. This can help people understand themselves more clearly, reduce inner conflict, and feel less stuck.
In my practice, parts work is integrated with relational psychotherapy, Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), and nervous-system awareness. The aim is not only to understand patterns intellectually, but to support deeper change as the mind and body begin to feel safer, more settled, and more connected.
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Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is a trauma- and attachment-informed approach that includes the body as a central source of information — not to over-focus on sensations, but to listen to what your nervous system is already communicating.
Many people can understand their story clearly, yet still feel hijacked by anxiety, shutdown, numbness, or a sudden surge of emotion. Sensorimotor work helps us slow things down and track what happens in the body with care, so patterns can become more workable — and new options can emerge.
This can include building resources for steadiness, working gently with activation and boundaries, and supporting integration across somatic, emotional, and cognitive levels. We always keep pacing in mind, and we prioritise stability over intensity.
Read more: What is Sensorimotor Psychotherapy? >
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EMDR is a trauma-focused therapy that helps the brain process experiences that remain “stuck” in the nervous system. When difficult events are not fully integrated, reminders in the present can trigger strong emotional or physical responses.
EMDR uses gentle bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements or alternating taps) while the person briefly brings aspects of the experience to mind. This can help the brain gradually reprocess the memory so it becomes less distressing and more integrated.
In my practice, EMDR is used thoughtfully alongside relational psychotherapy and nervous-system regulation approaches such as Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR). The aim is to support processing at a pace that feels safe and workable.
Please note that DBR is the central modality of how I work with trauma. I adopt elements of EMDR within a relational and nervous-system approach.
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DBR is a trauma therapy that works with the body’s original threat and attachment “shock” sequence — the fast, involuntary reactions that can get locked in before words, meaning, or story-making arrive.
Rather than relying only on talking through what happened, DBR helps us track what the nervous system is doing in the present moment, with great care. Many people find this brings depth and relief — especially when they understand their history well, but their body still reacts as if something isn’t safe.
DBR is also intentionally paced. We work slowly, stay within tolerance, and prioritise stability over intensity, so processing can happen without pushing you into overwhelm.
Even in DBR, our therapeutic relationship is the most valuable asset.
Read more:
Reflections (look for DBR ones) >
A jargon-free description of DBR and current evidence >
A randomized controlled trial of Deep Brain Reorienting (research article) >
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Neurofeedback is a gentle, non-invasive way of supporting the brain’s capacity for self-regulation through real-time feedback. Many people come to it when they feel stuck in patterns of over-activation (anxiety, hypervigilance, racing mind) or under-activation (shutdown, fatigue, fog, low motivation) — even when they understand what’s happening psychologically.
In ILF (infra-low frequency) neurofeedback, the aim isn’t to “try harder” or force change. It’s to give the brain information it can use to settle, stabilise, and organise itself over time. People often notice shifts in sleep, reactivity, steadiness, concentration, and overall resilience.
Where clinically appropriate, I may integrate ILF neurofeedback with psychotherapy (in person) as an adjunct — especially when strengthening regulation and stability would make the therapeutic work more tolerable and effective. We go slowly, track your responses carefully, and adjust as needed.
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Principles guiding my practice
My practice is guided by Relational Transactional Analysis and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy principles.
My work is also informed by contemporary neuroscience, particularly research on trauma, attachment, and nervous system regulation.
In practice, that means I try to work in a way that is respectful, collaborative, and steady enough to support real change without pushing past what your system can manage.
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Previous professional background
Before working full-time as a psychotherapist and supervisor, I worked in telecommunications for over 25 years.
That background still influences my way of working: clear thinking, careful pacing, structured planning, and regular review points.
For some clients, this also helps the work feel more grounded, clear, and easier to orient to, especially when life already feels confusing or overloaded.
My earlier qualifications include a degree in Computer Science from the University of Pisa, an MBA in Technology Management, and project, programme, and business analysis qualifications.
A calm place to begin
You do not need to be certain about starting therapy to get in touch.
If you would like to explore working together, you are welcome to book a free 20-minute consultation.
We can clarify what you are looking for, what you would like to be different, and what kind of support feels manageable right now — and see whether my approach, our working relationship, and the likely pace of the work feel like a good fit.
No pressure.