Terapirum

About Elena

Therapy, for me, is about helping you come back into contact with yourself and to regain access to your own sense of aliveness.

Lærke Rathje

WHO I AM

About Elena

I work with people who are looking for support and resources to cope when something feels overwhelming, stuck, or difficult to carry alone.

My path into therapeutic work began through years of meeting people in vulnerable and complex life situations. Working in mental health care and acute psychiatric wards gave me a deep respect for how much people carry, and how important it is to be met with both humanity and professional depth.

Over years, my work in research, mental health promotion, and psychotherapy has shaped the way I work today. I bring together clinical experience, academic understanding, and an integrative approach that pays attention to mind, body, and the wider context of a person’s life.

For me, therapy is a space where you do not have to perform or have everything figured out. It can be a place to pause, reflect, and understand more clearly what is happening in you and around you.

THERAPEUTIC APPROACH

My therapeutic approach

There are many different ways of working in therapy. My approach is mostly grounded in humanistic psychology and Gestalt methodology, and shaped by an integrative and systemic perspective.

For me, therapy is not only a dialogue-based therapeutic encounter. It is also a space to gain freedom in the choices you have and to improve your living skills.

I work in a relational and explorative way, drawing on different therapeutic perspectives depending on what supports you best. I often combine group and individual formats of therapy.

Integrated modalities:

  • Existentialism and Gestalt therapy
  • Emotion-Focused Therapy
  • Compassion-Focused Therapy
  • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
  • Somatic and body-based work
  • Mindfulness and breathwork
  • Creativity and experiential work in therapy
  • Psychoneruoinmunology: the physiology and psychology of body-mind connection
Klinikrum

BACKGROUND

Education

Nursing, psychology and public health

My educational background brings together my studies in nursing, psychology and public health along with a continued therapeutic training.

My professional path began in acute psychiatric wards where I trained as a mental health nurse. This gave me a strong clinical foundation and early experience in meeting people in vulnerable and complex life situations.

Master’s degree, PhD and MSCA postdoctoral fellowship

I hold a Master’s degree and a PhD in Health Sciences, with a specialization in mental health promotion, and I have been awarded a Marie Curie postdoctoral fellowship in Work and Occupational Health Psychology at the University of Copenhagen. Over the past 10 years, I have specialized in studying the social conditions, systems, and resources that shape our well-being.

Teaching and academic work

Through more than 10 years of teaching, mentoring, and academic work, I have supported students and professionals within the field of mental health. This has strengthened my ability to translate complex knowledge into something meaningful and usable in practice.

Humanistic psychology and Gestalt therapy

Today, I am in the fourth year of my psychotherapy training in humanistic psychology and Gestalt methodology, at the Gestalt Institute of Scandinavia (GIS-International) certified by the European and Danish Association of Psychotherapy (EAP and DPFO) with more than 50 years of experience in training therapists. The training takes place in English in a multicultural and experiential learning environment, and combines theory, personal therapy, supervision, and extensive practical therapeutic training.

Terapirum

THERAPY

How I work

In therapy, I am not focused on quick solutions. I am interested in understanding what is actually happening - in you, in your body, and in the space between us.

We slow down, notice, and explore what feels true and important for you.

We begin with what is real.
And from there, something can begin to move.

  • I work at a pace that gives space for what you are experiencing
  • I pay attention to thoughts, emotions, the body, and your inner responses in the here and now
  • I work with what you are carrying right now and what is emerging in the moment
  • My role is not to give you answers, but to support you in finding your own way forward.
  • I work in a creative and exploratory way by using some exercises to support your awareness
Terapirum

CLIENT EXPERIENCES

What clients say after a process

“I have been Elena’s client several times, and I have really appreciated the professionalism, enthusiasm, and softness with which she works. She held me through a therapy process that was not easy, and it was deeply helpful.”

— Line, 63

“Working with Elena has been a deeply positive experience. She is fully present and attentive, and I feel truly seen and understood by her. With her support, I have been able to change important patterns in my life.”

— Rasmus, 53

“Elena comes across as an emotionally attuned therapist with a real presence in the room. She is deeply curious and meets clients with openness. There is an aliveness in the way she engages, which helps create contact that feels authentic and dynamic.”

— Morten, 45

“Elena is empathic, authentic and trustworthy. She has a strong intuition, which makes her highly attuned to moods and emotions. She picks up on things not being said, but exists. She is genuine in her interaction and presence. I feel like I am being met with curiosity and care.”

— Ida, 32

“Elena has a rare ability to be deeply present, meeting with compassion, intuition, and authenticity. She moves with great sensitivity through the therapeutic process, gently challenging where needed, always with warmth and softness.”

— Lukne, 40

“The warmth, empathy, and awareness Elena brings to every interaction have had a huge impact on my journey. She creates a room where the pain of the past is recognised while helping me stay connected to the present.”

— Lea, 39

"Elena is very authentic, which is extremely important to me. For the first time, I feel seen in a holistic way. Our conversations leave me feeling empowered, strengthened, and more positive. I feel safe, understood, and professionally supported in her care.”

— Cornelia, 45

EXPERIENCE

Areas of experience

My experience brings together psychotherapy, interdisciplinary research in mental health and well-being, and the development of strategies aimed at promoting individual and collective well-being.

Working with individuals, groups, young adults, and organizations has deepened my understanding of how wellbeing is influenced by both our inner experiences, relations and the environments we move through. This continues to inform the way I meet people today.

Individual therapy

In individual therapy, I offer you a safe space to understand what you are experiencing and to find new ways of navigating life’s challenges with greater clarity, balance, and self-confidence.

Groups for growth

I facilitate group spaces for connection, self-awareness, and personal growth. Through the group process, people can feel supported, discover new perspectives, and strengthen their relationship with themselves and others.

Leadership & Workplace Wellbeing

I work with teams and leaders to promote well-being and personal and collective development, addressing challenges related to relationships, trust, boundaries, and workplace dynamics. My approach integrates an understanding of both people and systems to foster healthier, more productive, and sustainable environments.

Young adults and life transitions

My experience as a university lecturer and mentor has enriched my ability to support people through times of change and personal growth, helping them reconnect with their strengths, gain clarity, and move towards a more authentic relationship with themselves and their values.

Health challenges and resilience

From my personal and professional experience, I understand how health challenges can transform our sense of identity, hope, and relationship with our bodies. I support people navigating health-related changes in reconnecting with their vitality and building a new way forward with greater balance and meaning.

QUALITY

Supervision and professional development

As a psychotherapist, I see supervision as a natural and important part of responsible practice. It supports reflection, professional development, and the ongoing care needed to meet clients with depth, clarity, and ethical responsibility.

Supervision and professional reflection

Supervision gives me space to reflect on my work and continue developing as a therapist. It helps me stay attentive to the therapeutic process and to the responsibility that comes with working closely with other people.

Confidentiality, ethics, and professional standards

Supervision always takes place with full respect for the client’s anonymity and dignity. The purpose is never to share personal stories, but to reflect on the therapeutic work in a careful and professional way. I am a member of the Danish Association of Psychotherapists (DPFO) and committed to their professional guidelines and ethical standards.

Privacy and accountability

All personal information is treated confidentially and in accordance with applicable data protection rules, including GDPR. For me, supervision, professional affiliation, and ethical accountability are essential parts of maintaining quality, responsibility, and care in therapy.

Klinik detalje

Ready to take the next step?

You are welcome to explore the therapy options, book a first session, or get in touch if you have any questions.

See therapy and sessions Book a first session Do you have questions? Contact me

IN THERAPY

Themes I often explore with clients

In therapy, I often work with the deeper patterns beneath what feels difficult on the surface. These are some of the themes I pay particular attention to together with my clients.

Emotional overwhelm

How stress, inner pressure, or emotional intensity can build up when there is too little space to feel, pause, or recover.

Direction and identity

How people lose contact with their own direction, sense of self, or inner clarity during periods of change, uncertainty, or transition.

Relationships and boundaries

How relational patterns, difficulty expressing needs, or unclear boundaries can affect self-worth, connection, and emotional safety.

Self-worth and inner criticism

How shame, self-doubt, and harsh inner expectations can shape the way people relate to themselves and move through life.

Belonging and life transitions

How loneliness, cultural transition, grief, or major life changes can affect a person’s grounding, sense of belonging, and emotional balance.

Health, resilience, and meaning

How long-term strain, fatigue, illness, or physical vulnerability can affect identity, hope, and the relationship to one’s own body and life.

Stress, indre uro og overtænkning

Når tankerne kører i ring, eller kroppen føles konstant anspændt.

Stress, indre uro og overtænkning

Når tankerne kører i ring, eller kroppen føles konstant anspændt.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions and answers about therapy

It means that I do not work from one fixed formula. My work is grounded in humanistic psychology and Gestalt methodology. This means a very embodied and relational approach that is rooted in existentialism as a way of understanding living skills. While Gestalt therapy draws on 4 cornerstones: awareness, here and now, responsability (as your ability to respond) and contact, I also integrate exercises or insights from other perspectives when they support your process in a meaningful way.

Many people arrive without a clear starting point. Sometimes the work begins with a feeling, a tension, or a sense that something in life no longer feels right.

That is very welcome in therapy. I work with attention to thoughts, emotions, bodily experience, and the wider context of your life, because these are often deeply connected.

Therapy can be helpful in times of crisis, but also during periods of transition, disconnection, stress, self-doubt, or when you want to understand yourself more deeply.

A good therapeutic relationship matters. An introductory session can help you sense whether you feel comfortable, understood, and able to work with me in a way that feels right for you.

This is one of the reasons many people begin therapy. Sometimes what feels like being stuck is connected to overwhelm, loss of contact with yourself, or a life transition that needs more space and attention.

I work with people in English and Spanish, and I have a particular understanding of living between cultures, belonging, and starting over. At the same time, the themes I work with are deeply human and not limited to one specific group.

Therapy can offer a space to explore how long-term strain, fatigue, or health-related challenges affect your emotional life, your identity, and your relationship with yourself and others.