About Me
Valeria Grishko
BA (Honours), MSW, LCSW, MBACP
Teaching Member of ISTA/BISS/ISST
Member of BACP
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP)
I am an experienced US-trained psychotherapist with 15 years of clinical experience. I discovered my interest in counselling and psychotherapy when I was studying psychology at the University of Chicago in 1995, which led me to an internship at the local Rape Crisis Centre and to an Honours Project at the University of Chicago Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Following my Master's degree from New York University, I qualified as a licensed psychotherapist in New York State where I practiced until I moved to the UK 9 years ago. Being able to be licensed as a psychotherapist (LCSW) meant that in addition to 2 years of Master's study with 2 psychotherapy placements lasting 1 year each, I had to accumulate an additional 2000 of supervised clinical practice hours.
Furthermore, during my years of practice in New York, I completed a 3 year post-graduate program from the In-Service Institute in Mental Health and Psychotherapy. Since coming to the UK, my continued professional development included neurophysiology of trauma and attachment, Narrative Therapy, Analytical Psychology and Jungian Sandplay Therapy, which I incorporate in my work. I am a Teaching Member of The Israeli Sandplay Therapists Association and International Society for Sandplay Therapy, which is the highest level of training in Jungian Sandplay. Parallel to my sandplay training I completed a one year program of Introductory Lectures in Analytical Psychology at Jung Club London. Additionally, I attended various seminars at IGAP (Independent Group of Analytical Psychologists), which further enriched my understanding of Jungian theory.
I abide by the Code of Ethics of British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, British and Irish Sandplay Society/International Society for Sandplay Therapy and Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice.
I am originally from the Ukraine. Having lived in the US, UK, France and the Ukraine, I understand the importance of and am deeply committed to working with issues of cultural context and adaptation, immigration and identity. I work in English, Russian and French.
My practice is located in a central part of Jerusalem with an easy access to the other parts of the city via buses and light rail train.