Priscilla Schwartzman

A conversation with Priscilla Schwartzman

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

  I’ve always been drawn to people’s stories, to what shapes us, challenges us, and calls us back to who we are. Over the years, I found myself mentoring others, leading teams, and holding space in ways that felt deeply meaningful. Through my own personal therapy and inner work, I realised just how transformative that kind of space can be.
  
  I didn’t step into this profession overnight; it unfolded gradually, alongside two decades of leadership and mentoring, and a strong desire to work in a way that felt more aligned and purposeful. Becoming a therapist felt less like a career switch and more like a return to something that had been waiting in me for a long time.

• Which philosophical approaches have influenced your professional development?

  My practice is grounded in Gestalt Therapy, which has been the most influential in shaping how I meet clients, with presence, curiosity, and a belief that real change happens in the here-and-now. I’m drawn to its relational and experiential nature, and the way it honours both awareness and choice without rushing to ‘fix.’
  
  Alongside Gestalt, I draw from somatic-based principles, which support clients in tuning into what their bodies might be holding, and from CBT-informed tools that help bring clarity and structure when it’s needed. I’ve also studied the Gottman Method at an introductory level, which informs some of the practical ways I support couples.
  
  At the heart of my approach, my work is influenced by humanistic and existential ideas, rooted in the understanding that we’re all navigating meaning, identity, and belonging. I believe therapy can be a space to explore these questions safely, at your own pace.

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

  I'm drawn to the quieter parts of the human experience, the moments when someone begins to ask, “Is this still working for me?” Whether it’s sparked by burnout, perimenopause, shifting identity, or a sense of disconnection, I’m interested in that turning point when we start exploring who we are beneath the roles we've carried.
  
  A big part of my own journey, and the work I now offer, centres on self-acceptance—not just understanding ourselves, but learning how to be with what we find and allowing what’s there, instead of pushing it away.
  
  I’m especially curious about how we relate to ourselves in times of transition: how we make meaning, soften into uncertainty, and reconnect with our values, needs, and voice. That includes emotional wellbeing, relationship patterns, and the mind-body connection.
  
  My work is grounded in self-awareness, compassion, and supporting people through change with care and clarity—not by rushing to fix, but by gently exploring what’s asking to be seen.

• What methods do you use?

  My work is grounded in Gestalt Therapy, which focuses on building awareness in the present moment and exploring the patterns, beliefs, and relational dynamics that shape our experience. I don’t follow a rigid method; instead, I respond to what’s emerging for each client, in each session.
  
  While Gestalt informs the heart of my work, I also draw from somatic awareness practices and use tools inspired by CBT when helpful, particularly for supporting emotional insight and practical shifts. I’ve completed introductory training with the Gottman Institute and bring that lens into my couples work, with a focus on curiosity, communication, and connection.
  
  Whether we’re working with emotion, body cues, or thought patterns, I aim to create a supportive space that’s respectful, collaborative, and attuned to what matters most to you.

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

  Even after just one or two sessions, many people notice small but meaningful changes simply by being supported and accepted. Progress can look different for everyone. Sometimes it’s a subtle shift, like feeling a bit more spacious or a little less alone with what you’re carrying. Other times, it might be noticing a clearer sense of your needs, or responding differently in situations that once felt overwhelming.
  
  Rather than aiming for quick fixes, I support clients to build self-awareness, self-trust, and clarity over time. Often, people begin to notice progress when they find themselves responding with more choice instead of simply reacting, or when they feel more connected to who they are and what matters to them.

• How has therapy made a difference in your life?

  Therapy gave me something I didn’t know I needed: a space where I didn’t have to hold it all together. I’d learned early in life to be capable, to keep going, to put others first. I became good at reading the room, showing up for everyone else, and pushing my own needs aside. But underneath that strength was disconnection from myself, from my feelings, and from any sense of what I actually wanted.
  
  By my twenties, the cracks started to show. I was anxious, exhausted, and quietly lost. Therapy didn’t offer quick fixes, but it offered something more powerful: a place where I could just be. I didn’t have to explain everything. Someone really saw me and stayed.
  
  Over time, I started to hear myself again, to feel, and to make sense of the patterns that had shaped me. It wasn’t easy, but it was honest. That honesty gave me a way back to myself.
  
  That’s what I now try to offer others: not solutions, but space. A space where you don’t have to be anything other than who you are, and that is enough to begin.

• What do you like most about being a therapist?

  I love getting to know people from all walks of life.
  
  It’s a privilege to be trusted with someone’s inner world, to hear their story, witness their vulnerability, and see their courage as they face fears and move toward their strength.
  
  Being part of that process is truly powerful. I feel humbled, honoured, and clear that this is my calling. It gives me purpose and a meaningful way to contribute.

• Do you ever have 'bad hair' days?

  Yes, absolutely. I still have days where I feel unsure or question myself. I still fall into old patterns at times, especially when I’m tired or triggered. I still have moments where I feel disconnected, different, or somehow less than. I still wrestle with that old voice that says I should be further ahead or I need to do more.
  
  The difference now is that those moments don’t define me. They feel more like blips than mountains. I catch them sooner, and I know how to support myself or seek support with kindness rather than criticism. Being a therapist doesn’t mean having it all together; it means being human, doing the work, and showing up honestly, again and again.

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

  Disconnection from ourselves, each other, and what really matters is, in my view, the most significant problem we face today. So many of the challenges we encounter, such as burnout, anxiety, relationship breakdown, and even social division, stem from a profound sense of being cut off. We are often pushed to perform, to keep going, and to meet expectations, and in the process we lose touch with our inner compass. We stop listening to ourselves.
  
  When we are disconnected from our needs, values, and sense of self, it becomes difficult to feel grounded and even harder to connect meaningfully with others. I see therapy as one way to gently turn inward, to reconnect, and to begin showing up in the world in a way that feels more real, compassionate, and aligned.

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

  Van Gogh is my favourite artist. It’s hard to choose just one piece, because his entire body of work moves me each time I see it. His paintings have a way of expressing feeling beyond words, turning pain into something honest and beautiful. Each brushstroke carries intensity, sensitivity, and a longing to be understood.
  
  I was born in Amsterdam and have visited the Van Gogh Museum many times. It always reminds me how powerful it can be to express what we feel, and how deeply art can connect us.
  
  This perspective fits with how I work at Rising Phoenix Counselling: creating a space where emotion can be safely explored and transformed into connection and meaning.