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 the moments that shape us, challenge us and call us back to who we are. Over the years, I found myself naturally mentoring others, leading teams and holding space in ways that felt deeply meaningful. Through my own personal therapy and inner work, I came to understand just how transformative it can be to have a place where you feel seen, heard and supported.
  
  I didn’t step into this profession overnight. It unfolded gradually, alongside two decades of leadership and mentoring, and a growing desire to work in a way that felt more aligned and purposeful. Becoming a therapist wasn’t a career change so much as a return to something that had been quietly forming in me for years.

• Which philosophical approaches have influenced your professional development?

  My practice is grounded in Gestalt Therapy, which has shaped the way I meet clients with presence, curiosity and a focus on what is unfolding in the here-and-now. I’m drawn to its relational nature and the way it supports awareness and choice without rushing toward solutions.
  
  Somatic-based principles also influence my work, helping clients tune into what their bodies may be holding beneath words or thoughts. When structure or clarity is helpful, I integrate DBT and CBT-informed tools in a gentle, practical way.
  
  At the core, my approach is influenced by humanistic and existential ideas, grounded in the understanding that we are all navigating questions of meaning, identity and belonging. Therapy offers a space to explore these threads safely, at your own pace, and to notice what becomes possible through awareness and connection.

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

  I’m drawn to the quieter turning points in people’s lives, the moments when someone begins to wonder whether the way they’ve been coping still fits. This often arises around burnout, perimenopause, identity shifts, emotional overwhelm or a growing sense of disconnection. I’m interested in what unfolds when we pause long enough to notice these signals and explore who we are beneath the roles we’ve carried.
  
  Much of my work centres on self-acceptance and self-support and the gentle process of being with our experience rather than pushing it aside. I’m curious about how people make meaning, how they relate to themselves in times of transition, and how awareness can open space for choice, clarity and compassion.
  
  I’m particularly interested in emotional wellbeing, relationship patterns and the mind-body connection, especially when life feels full or quietly fragile. My focus is on supporting people through change with presence and care, not by rushing toward solutions, but by exploring what is emerging and what wants attention.

• 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 your experience. I don’t follow a rigid method; instead, I respond to what is emerging for you in each session and what feels supportive at the time.
  
  While Gestalt sits at the core of my practice, I also draw from somatic awareness, along with CBT and DBT-informed tools when they offer clarity, regulation or a useful framework. These approaches can help deepen emotional insight, support steadier nervous system responses and create room for practical shifts that feel manageable day to day.
  
  Whether we are attending to emotion, body cues or thought patterns, my intention is to create a collaborative, supportive environment that honours your pace and helps you reconnect with what matters most.

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

  Even after the first session or two, many people notice small but meaningful shifts simply from being supported, acknowledged and not carrying things on their own. Progress looks different for everyone. Sometimes it shows up as a slight softening, a moment of calm, or feeling a little more present in your own experience. Other times it might be recognising a need more clearly, or responding in a way that feels new and more supportive.
  
  Rather than focusing on quick fixes, I support clients to build self-awareness, self-trust and clarity over time. People often begin to sense progress when they notice themselves pausing instead of reacting, setting boundaries with more ease, or feeling more connected to who they are becoming and what truly matters to them.

• How has therapy made a difference in your life?

  Therapy gave me something I didn’t realise I needed: a space where I didn’t have to hold everything together. For much of my life, I had learned to be capable, attentive and tuned in to others. I could read the room, support everyone else, and keep going no matter what. But underneath that strength was a quiet disconnection from myself, my feelings and any real sense of what I needed.
  
  By my twenties, the strain began to show. I felt anxious, depleted and unsure how to make sense of what was happening inside me. Therapy didn’t offer quick answers, but it offered something far more meaningful: a place where I could simply be. I didn’t have to perform or manage anything. Someone met me with presence and stayed.
  
  Over time, I began to hear myself again. I learned to slow down, to notice what I felt, and to understand the patterns that had been shaping my life. It was not always easy, but it was honest. And that honesty became a pathway back to myself.
  
  That experience now informs the way I work. I don’t aim to provide solutions, but to create a space where people can be met with care, curiosity and support. A space where you don’t need to be anything other than who you are, and where that is enough to begin.

• What do you like most about being a therapist?

  I love getting to know people in a way that feels real and human. It’s a privilege to be invited into someone’s inner world, to hear their story and sit with the honesty, vulnerability and courage that often stay tucked away in everyday life.
  
  Through the journey of therapy, I also love seeing people grow, navigate life with a little more ease, or begin relating to themselves in new and gentler ways. There is something deeply moving about witnessing someone soften into their truth, make sense of their patterns, or take a step that once felt impossible. Being part of that process is profoundly humbling.
  
  What unfolds in the therapeutic space reminds me why I do this work. Supporting people as they reconnect with themselves feels less like a job and more like a calling. It is meaningful, grounding and something I feel grateful for every day.

• Do you ever have 'bad hair' days?

  Yes, absolutely. I still have days where I feel unsure or question myself. Old patterns can surface, especially when I’m tired or triggered. There are moments when I feel disconnected, different, or somehow not enough, and I still hear that old inner voice that says I should be further ahead or doing more.
  
  The difference now is that these moments don’t define me. They feel more like brief moments, rather than mountains. I notice them sooner, and I’m able to support myself or reach out for support with kindness rather than criticism. Being a therapist doesn’t mean having it all together. It means being human, staying aware and continuing to show up with honesty, again and again.

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

  Disconnection, from ourselves, each other, nature and what truly matters, feels like one of the most significant challenges of our time. So many difficulties we face such as burnout, anxiety, relationship strain and even social division often stem from a sense of being cut off from our own needs, wants, purpose and sources of joy. We’re pushed to perform, to keep going, to meet expectations and often work simply to make ends meet, and in that pace it’s easy to lose touch with our inner compass.
  
  When we’re disconnected from our needs, values and sense of self, it becomes hard to feel grounded and even harder to connect meaningfully with others. I see therapy as one gentle way of turning inward again, of noticing what has been out of reach, and beginning to show 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 express feeling in a way that goes beyond words, turning pain into something honest, raw and deeply human. There is an intensity and sensitivity in each brushstroke that speaks to longing, beauty and the desire to be understood.
  
  I was born in Amsterdam and have visited the Van Gogh Museum many times. Each visit reminds me of the power of expression and how art can hold emotion with both truth and tenderness.
  
  This perspective sits at the heart of my work at Rising Phoenix Counselling: creating a space where emotions can be met safely, explored with care and transformed into meaning and connection.