Josh Wasniewski

A conversation with Josh Wasniewski

• What led you to choose psychotherapy or counselling as a profession?

  My path into psychotherapy developed over time. I spent a number of years working in corporate roles as a Business Analyst, but alongside that I had a growing interest in how emotional and relational patterns change, shaped in part by my own experience.
  
  Through my teenage years, I struggled with anxiety and initially turned to meditation and self-help practices. While this was helpful, it didn’t fully shift the underlying reactions.
  
  It was through therapy, particularly approaches like Somatic Experiencing and Deep Brain Reorienting, that I began to understand the role of the body and of relationship in change. That experience led me to retrain as a psychotherapist and continues to shape how I work.

• Which philosophical approaches have influenced your professional development?

  My work has been influenced by attachment theory, relational psychotherapy, and body-oriented approaches. Across these, there is a shared understanding that many of our responses are shaped early and operate quickly, often outside of awareness.
  
  I’m particularly influenced by work that emphasises the role of the body and of relationship in change, rather than relying on insight alone. This includes approaches such as Somatic Experiencing and developments in trauma and attachment research.

• Which particular aspects of health or the human journey are you interested in?

  I’m interested in how early development and relational experiences shape the way we experience ourselves, others, and the world. This includes how these experiences are reflected in the brain, the body, and in emotional responses over time.
  
  I’m also interested in how neuroscience can be applied in a practical way in therapy, not just as theory, but in helping create changes that are stable and lasting.
  
  A central focus of my work is emotion. How it is expressed, contained, or avoided, and how connection and presence in relationship can support repair and emotional change.
  
  I’m also interested in how longer-term emotional or somatic strain can impact physical health, and how therapy can support a more integrated sense of wellbeing.
  
  More broadly, I see therapy as part of a healthy human life, particularly in how it supports our capacity for relationship, regulation, and connection over time.

• What methods do you use?

  I work in a relational and experiential way, paying close attention to what is happening in the moment. This includes your emotional responses, what you notice in your body, and what unfolds between us in the session.
  
  I draw on attachment-informed and body-oriented approaches, including Somatic Experiencing. The focus is less on applying techniques, and more on working with how reactions arise and shift in real time.

• When do you think the client will start to feel that progress is being made?

  Progress can show up in small but noticeable ways at first. This might include becoming more aware of reactions as they happen, or having a little more space before responding.
  
  It can also look like feeling more able to share openly in relationships, or beginning to seek out connection in ways that didn’t feel possible before.
  
  At times, progress doesn’t feel positive. As awareness increases, emotions can feel stronger or more immediate. While this can be uncomfortable, it is often part of working with experiences that were previously avoided.
  
  The focus is on approaching these moments carefully and at a manageable pace, so they can be processed rather than becoming overwhelming or repeating in the same way.
  
  Over time, these shifts tend to build, and responses that once felt automatic begin to change.

• How has therapy made a difference in your life?

  Therapy has changed how I relate to myself and to other people. I’ve noticed a shift from managing anxiety to feeling more at ease in relationships, more willing to seek connection, and clearer about what I want and how to move toward it.
  
  It’s also affected how I experience everyday life. There’s more interest and enjoyment, whether that’s time in nature, being around people, or following curiosity in hobbies.
  
  Things that once felt rigid have become more flexible. Exercise is something I enjoy rather than push through.
  
  Overall, the change hasn’t been about becoming a different person, but about feeling more present, more connected, and more able to engage with life in a way that feels natural.

• What do you like most about being a therapist?

  What I value most is being present with people in moments that are often difficult to stay with alone. There’s something meaningful about slowing things down together and seeing a reaction begin to shift in real time.
  
  I also value the depth of the work. Over time, you get to see changes that aren’t always obvious at first, but have a real impact on how someone relates to themselves and others.
  
  I find the work engaging in a very direct way. There’s a sense of connection, warmth, and humility that comes with sitting closely with another person’s experience.

• Do you ever have 'bad hair' days?

  Yes. I think everyone has days where things don’t feel quite right. Over time, my view has shifted from trying to feel a certain way or get things “right,” to working more with what’s actually there.
  
  It’s less about avoiding those days, and more about how you relate to them when they happen.

• What do you think is the most significant problem we face, in the world today?

  There are many significant global challenges, including climate change, poverty, and conflict. I won’t go into those here, but I see a growing sense of disconnection, both from ourselves and from each other.
  
  Even with more ways to communicate, many people feel increasingly isolated or unsure of how to relate in a meaningful way.
  
  Alongside this, we’re living in an environment that constantly pulls on attention and emotion. Information is fast, often unfiltered, and designed to keep us engaged. This can make it harder to think clearly, stay grounded, and remain appropriately sceptical, particularly when strong emotional reactions are involved.
  
  These dynamics show up in the work I do, in how people experience anxiety, relationships, and a sense of being unsettled. It’s not the only issue, but it’s one that seems to sit underneath many others.

• Can you share the name of a book, film, song, event or work of art that inspires you?

  I love The Beatles. What stands out is the range of what they created in a relatively short period, and the way they kept evolving without becoming rigid. There’s a sense of curiosity and openness in their work that I find grounding.