Counsellor Inga Burbule - Existential Psychotherapy

'Forever I shall be a stranger to myself. In psychology as in logic, there are truths but no truth.'

(Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus)

About Me

I am Inga Burbule, a trainee psychotherapist, currently enrolled in a PGDip Existential Psychotherapy course at the Institute of Humanistic and Existential Psychotherapy, accredited by the European Psychotherapy Association (EPA). My approach is existential, and I am supervised by an experienced clinical psychologist and psychotherapist.

I live in Markethill, County Armagh (Northern Ireland) and provide face-to-face counselling in Newry. For people from other towns or countries, I offer online therapy via Zoom. I can work with clients in English, Lithuanian and Russian languages.

I work with a wide range of clients on many different issues. Existential psychotherapy is more suitable for clients who enjoy having the freedom to talk about and focus on what they think is important, rather than those wishing specific techniques or advice. In addition, I value the in-depth, penetrative approach in therapy. Therefore, my clients are usually interested in exploring their intrapsychic processes, not solely looking for a quick fix for their challenges.

Everyone has their own struggles and sometimes needs a fellow human to help them in difficult situations. Occasionally, people decide to get professional help – from a therapist, who, in most cases, will have somewhat more knowledge and experience in searching for answers, trying to understand and overcome different problems. I aim to enable clients to broaden their perspectives by sharing my thoughts, ideas, and hunches and just being there with them in an authentic way. I see my clients as unique individuals who are the best experts of their lives and treat them with respect and compassion.

The existential worldview is not something that I employ as a method while working with clients – it is how I perceive myself, my life, and the world around me. I am curious about it, and I constantly learn new things about human existence: from myself, other people, and my clients. It is not always pleasant, but it always is enriching.

My Qualifications:

What to Expect

1. Initial Session

I offer this 15-20-minute session free of charge as an opportunity for you to experience what it is like to talk with me, be in my presence, and share your feelings and experiences with me. You’ll also be able to ask me questions and I will tell you a little bit about my approach to therapy. This will help you decide whether you would like to work with me.

2. Defining the Aim of Therapy Process

It usually takes a few sessions for us to set the main goal in this process. First, we need to get an overall sense of your life situation – this will help you better understand what it is that you would like to change. It does not mean that you will not be able to talk about something else: the goal merely gives us a direction of therapy by allowing you to take the route with which you feel most comfortable. You can always change your goal or set another goal if you feel that you have achieved the previous one.

3. Exploring Your Life

We will talk about your life situation, your struggles, and the issues you encounter. I will encourage self-reflection and help you acknowledge and express your feelings and emotions by staying present with you when you experience them. I will endeavour to help you understand what really matters to you and examine the role of personal choice in your life. We will also explore what it is like to be in the presence of each other. With increased clarity and insight, you will have an opportunity to resolve the problematic issues in your life and gain resources with which you will be able to meet new challenges with greater confidence.