Marlena Nowak-Gnitecka — Integrative Therapist & Neurodiversity-Affirming Counsellor

Hi, I’m Marlena. I’m a person just like you, who at one point needed help and support from a mental health professional. I went through my own process of healing, and through training became a therapist. I like to think of myself as a guide who knows the jungle — helping you make sense of the twists and turns, face the challenges, and find your own way forward.

Supporting Neurodivergent Adults — I have worked in special education since 2007, supporting children and adults with a wide range of needs. This experience shapes how I connect with clients, particularly in understanding and supporting neurodivergent adults, including those with ADHD and autism. I offer neurodiversity-affirming therapy and am a Certified ADHD Clinical Services Provider, helping individuals understand themselves beyond labels and self-criticism.

Affirming Gender, Sex, and Relationship Diversity (GSRD) — I provide an inclusive, safe space for LGBTQIA+ individuals. I support clients exploring identity, relationships, belonging, and personal growth, with sensitivity to the impact of shame, minority stress, and lived experience.

My Approach — I practice integrative and trauma-informed therapy, influenced by psychodynamic, humanistic, relational, and existential perspectives. I work collaboratively with clients to explore anxiety, depression, emotional overwhelm, self-worth, confidence, boundaries, and self-compassion. My work focuses on supporting understanding, steadiness, and personal growth. I engage in regular supervision and professional development to maintain ethical, reflective, and responsive practice.

Therapeutic Philosophy — Alfred Adler once wrote, “The only normal people are the ones you don’t know very well.” Rather than asking what is “wrong,” I’m interested in how each person has learned to survive, adapt, and make sense of their world. Influenced by Irvin Yalom, I believe “It is the relationship that heals.” Therapy with me is not about fixing or performing, but about exploring anxiety, low mood, and inner conflict together, and helping clients develop steadier, kinder ways of being with themselves and others.