Hi, and thank you for stopping by.
I am Noemi, and I offer counselling that honours your journey to understanding yourself and finding your own path. The name of my practice, Essència, comes from my native Catalan (and is similar in my other native language, Spanish, esencia) and means 'essence'. To me, the counselling process is about reconnecting with your own essence - who you truly are at your core - beyond expectations, masking, labels, society's pressures, and what life has conditioned you to believe.
Meeting me as a counsellor
Born and raised in Barcelona at a time when mental health was rarely named or understood, from an early age I was drawn to the quiet complexity of human experience – how both our inner and outer worlds shape the way we relate, express and make meaning.
My background includes Music, the Humanities and visual Arts, and these disciplines have influenced my work as a counsellor; they have taught me to listen beyond words and to respect the unique ways people communicate their inner lives.
Having lived between different countries, I became deeply aware of how our environment and culture can influence the way we perceive our reality and relate to ourselves and others. This understanding sits at the heart of my culturally-aware, person-centred and trauma-informed approach.
My own life experiences led me inward, into a long and often challenging process of self-enquiry and reflection. Later, entering therapy as a client deepened my understanding of how transformative it can be to be met with true empathy, curiosity and care.
Professionally, my path began in education and gradually moved towards community-based wellbeing roles. Over the past decade, I have supported individuals within the NHS, the VCFSE sector, complex mental health and educational settings. All of these experiences reminded me again and again that human connection and authenticity come before rigid systems or one-size-fits-all approaches; this belief guides everything I do in my practice.
My approach
I see the counselling process as a shared journey based on mutual trust and openness, while also valuing the therapeutic space and the ‘Here and Now’ as essential elements to this.
I place great importance on the quality of our therapeutic relationship – one that is built on empathy, authenticity and respect – showing up as myself while remaining attuned to your experience.
My intention is to offer a space where you feel listened to, valued and supported in exploring whatever feels present for you, at a pace that feels right.
I also recognise that counselling is not a linear process. You may notice certain themes reappearing over time, and while this can feel repetitive, it often brings fresh understanding and a deeper connection to yourSelf. Each person’s journey is unique, unfolding in its own rhythm, and my role is to support you with care and steadiness, welcoming whatever arises and allowing the process to move at a pace that feels right for you.
Alongside this Person-Centred foundation, I draw inspiration from Jungian and Gestalt traditions, and I am currently weaving these modalities more actively into my practice for those who find them helpful. This might include noticing images, dreams, archetypes, patterns or physical feelings, as well as what feels present in the here and now. Occasionally (and only if it feels supportive) we may explore things in a more experiential way through gentle awareness or reflective exercises. We might also refer to ideas, images or stories from areas like Philosophy, Art or shared human experiences, if they feel relevant and useful; these can sometimes help open up new perspectives or language for what you are already sensing or exploring.