My name is Janaina Mahe, I am originally from Brazil and I’ve lived in Wales for the past 22 years. I have a master’s Level Diploma in Psychotherapy and Counselling skills and I run a private counselling and psychotherapy practice in Swansea, in which I have been solely directing since 2014. I work with self-referred clients, EAP(Employment Assistance Programme) clients, NHS referrals and corporation clients including Amazon and Coastal Housing in Swansea, delivering individual and couple counselling. 

Also, I work as a Mental Health Mentor for university students in the UK with learning disabilities and I supervise Master’s psychotherapy students from The University of Wales Trinity Saint David and qualified psychotherapists. In addition, I am a qualified Mindfulness Now Teacher and I studied Mindfulness at the UK College of Mindfulness Meditation in England, approved by the British Psychological Society.

I am a Humanistic practitioner. Humanistic therapy adopts a holistic approach that focuses on agency, human potential, and self-discovery. It aims to help you develop a strong and healthy sense of self, explore your feelings, find meaning, and focus on your strengths. I use a range of therapies from this approach, according to my client’s needs, in order to help clients to learn to help themselves! 

I work extremely well with emotions allowing you to activate and focus on your emotional state and thus helping you to manage problematic emotional situations and self-experiences. I first listen to my client and then provide the necessary therapies, combining elements of all of these modalities. For example, this could include Person Centred Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Existential Therapy and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). 

I integrate Mindfulness Practice principles and Mindfulness training within my practice, as I have found that to be of great benefit, with regards to helping clients to learn to become more self-aware and more present in the present, thus alleviating stress and anxiety in general. Finally, I support my clients to develop a healthy relationship with themselves and with their body, as I believe it’s paramount to consider the needs of our system in general, when working with our mental health!

Personally, I believe that most ill mental health issues are sicknesses of the soul, caused by a disconnection within, which stems from somewhere down to the person’s life history. In this context, I have found within my practice that people who have come to see me are only existing in life rather than living life. Although they have presented different mental health issues and diagnostics, nevertheless usually they feel lost within themselves and have become prisoners of their own mind, which are locked in the past, in the future or both, rather than in the present. Hence, the core of my therapeutic style is with regards to helping my clients to integrate the scarred parts of the self, with support in the formation of resilience and self-esteem, through the learning of self-acceptance and self-authenticity. Only then can we access strong and authentic contact with others and with life itself, at the present time.

I offer sessions face to face, via online and telephone and in my consulting room, Cherry Tree House, Carmarthen Rd, Swansea, SA1 1HE.

I understand how daunting it may be to contact an unknown professional at first, especially if you have never experienced counselling before, I am more than happy to answer any questions you might have by e-mail, telephone or text. 

In order to ensure suitability, introductory 20-minute sessions are available online or face-to-face free of charge. In this case, if you feel you would like to book it without commitment, we could meet each other and decide whether we can work together. In this case, please feel free to call and make a booking. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my bio, I will be more than happy to be of services if you need! 

Janaina Vieira Mahe.

Qualifications