Some Things don't translate… Even in your first language.
Anima Serena is a counselling practice for English speakers in Barcelona. It's for the specific weight of building a life somewhere new, in a second language, far from what used to be familiar, and for the people who've always felt a half-step removed from the room, wherever they've lived.
You don't need a crisis to want somewhere steady to think out loud.
Life in Transition
The move landed you here, but the adjustment doesn't happen on the same timeline: homesickness, identity shifts, and the strange grief of a life left behind.
Relationships & Family
Partners, parenting, or family relationships under the particular strain of distance, different cultures, or building a support system from nothing.
Anxiety & Overwhelm
Bureaucracy, a second language, an unfamiliar system. When the everyday effort of being somewhere new starts to outweigh the joy of it.
Autistic & ADHD-affirming
Whether you have a diagnosis, are mid-assessment, or have simply always felt slightly different, this space starts from acceptance, not correction. Room to think about masking, sensory load, and executive function, without needing to explain the basics first.
Counselling that starts from where you actually are.
I moved to Barcelona myself, so the disorientation of building a life in a new country isn't theoretical to me.
It shapes how I listen and what I notice. Sessions are collaborative and unhurried, in plain English, without needing you to justify why something is hard.
✓ Graduate Diploma in Counselling, Torrens University
✓ Neurodivergent-affirming: no pathologising of autistic or ADHD traits
✓Comfortable working alongside a psychiatric ADHD or autism assessment, before, during, or after diagnosis
✓Online or in person, on a schedule that fits expat and shift-work life
Take The First Step
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Take The First Step 〰️
Free 15 Minute Intro Call
A short, no-pressure conversation to see if it's a good fit, for you and for me. No commitment either way.
First Session
We map out what brought you here and what you'd want to be different, and build a loose plan for the sessions ahead.
Ongoing Sessions
Weekly or fortnightly, online or in person in Barcelona, at a pace that works for your life here.
For GPs, psychiatrists & clinicians
If you diagnose or treat ADHD or autism in English-speaking expat clients in Barcelona, this is what a referral to Anima Serena looks like in practice.
What I Offer
Counselling, not diagnostic assessment. Support for the emotional and practical weight of expat life, alongside space to explore masking, sensory load, and executive function for clients who are newly diagnosed, mid-assessment, or simply asking the question.
Working With You
I'm not a substitute for your clinical assessment or medication management. I work well as the counselling layer around it, before a client has language for what's going on, or after a diagnosis, while they work out what it means for their life here.
Referral Pathway
A short email is enough to start: client name, a line of context, and the best way to reach them.
I'll offer a free 15-minute intro call before any commitment on their end.
Referrals and professional enquiries are always welcome, no formal referral letter required.
Neuro-affirming Support for Children, Teens & Parents
Alongside individual counselling for adults, I also work directly with children and young people, offering neuro-affirming support for ADHD and autism. For parents, I run workshops that combine psychoeducation with practical, everyday strategies.
Movement & Somatic Practice
As a Pilates instructor as well as a counsellor, movement and somatic practice are part of how I work with children and adults alike, not just talk therapy.
Children & Young People (7 years +)
Individual sessions focused on emotional regulation, self-understanding, and building confidence in a neuro-affirming space, for children aged 7 and up, teenagers and young adults navigating an ADHD or autism diagnosis, or simply wondering about one.
Parent Workshops
Practical, psychoeducation-based workshops covering what ADHD and autism actually look like day to day, and simple, evidence-informed tools for supporting regulation at home. Available for individual families or as part of a school or community group setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Anima Serena offers counselling, not clinical psychotherapy. Sessions draw on a Graduate Diploma in Counselling and are well suited to life adjustment, anxiety, relationship strain, and neurodivergent-affirming support. If your needs call for clinical psychotherapy or psychiatric care, I'll help you find the right referral.
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No. I'm not a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist, so I don't provide diagnostic assessment. What I offer is a space to explore what's coming up, whether you're waiting on assessment, newly diagnosed, or just curious, and I'm glad to work alongside a psychiatrist or GP if that's part of your care.
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Yes. A short email with the client's name and a line of context is enough to start, no formal referral letter needed. See the "For clinicians" section above for details.
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Sessions are held in English. This practice exists specifically for people who want to process difficult things in their first language, without the added effort of translating themselves.
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Pricing is shared on the intro call, along with any package options for ongoing work. The first 15-minute call is always free.
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Both. In-person sessions are held in Barcelona; online sessions work for anyone in Spain, including if you're still finalising your move.
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Yes. I work with children aged 7 and up, and teens, alongside my work with adults. Sessions are neuro-affirming and tailored to the child's age and needs.
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Yes, I run parent workshops covering ADHD and autism psychoeducation and practical strategies for supporting regulation at home. I'm also happy to bring workshops into schools, get in touch to talk through what that could look like.