Psychologist in Colombo | Therapy for Anxiety, Stress & Depression

About Your Listening Space

I'm Elizabeth Alphonsus. Together, we can create a safe, non-judgemental space where you can share thoughts and feelings you might be struggling to share with family and friends. We can come up with a plan to cope with the difficulties you are facing right now.

I completed my master's in Clinical Psychology at the University of Bergamo, Italy. I am registered with the Order of Psychologists of Lombardy, Italy (registration number 27147).

I practice from Samutthana, the King's College Center for Mental Health, Colombo 06, Sri Lanka. I offer in person and online consultations in English, Tamil and Italian.

If this approach makes sense to you, and you need to talk to someone who can provide professional help, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

I do not offer emergency support. For immediate help, please call the emergency support numbers: 1333 - CCC, 076 7520 620 - Sri Lanka Sumithrayo, 1926 - National Mental Health Helpline,

"Thank you so much for your support. It's not that I couldn't do it, I was just lost... You helped me find my way again. No words can express how grateful I am" - R.P. N
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Mental Health Tailored to Your Needs

Freedom

My role is not to tell you how to think or what to do. Instead, I help you understand what you are going through and explore useful ways of moving forward after a crisis. We work together to set goals that are important and meaningful to you. You are the driver of your change.

As the artist Monet said, "to see, must forget the name of what we are looking at." In that spirit, I aim to provide a listening space to share your experiences, without assumptions and labels. Active listening and empathy can create a space to freely explore your thoughts and emotions without a fear of judgment, so you can realize your full potential.

Complexity

The complexity and the uniqueness of every human is very important to me. So, I focus on you as a person and don't believe in a “one size fits all” approach. On this journey, we can see how your past experiences shape deeply held beliefs you may have about yourself, others and the world. Culture, traumatic experiences and other unique life experiences may impact the way you handle distress in the present.

While embracing complexity, sometimes it is the simple techniques that help us manage strong emotions in the present. I also utilize self-soothing techniques that you can practice regularly in session and or at home.

Relationships

We live in a web of relationships (family, friends, community) which can be a source of strength, but also of pain or dissatisfaction. Patterns that emerge in our family across generations also influence us. As Stephi Wagner said "“pain travels through families until someone is willing to feel it." We learn to build our own families by following the examples of our own parents.

For some people, exploring these intergenerational patterns can help you understand your day-to-day experiences in the present, and find new pathways and better ways of coping and connecting to others. Carefully reflecting on the role of family in your life can allow greater awareness and freedom in making personal and career choices.

Ethics

I am bound by the code of ethics of the Italian board of psychologists to guarantee your right to privacy. I try my best to be aware of my own beliefs, values and prejudices, and avoid imposing my own beliefs on you during consultation. The aim is to help you develop the understanding and skills needed to navigate life on your own, so I generally discourage long term therapeutic dependence.

Psychological Theories

I primarily use a systemic lens, I also utilize techniques from EMDR, narrative and mindfulness based approaches. I generally try to fit my approach to your individual needs or refer you to another professional if I cannot provide the services you need.

Supervised and Research Informed

I am regularly supervised by a senior clinical psychologist and trainer from the European Institute of Systemic Psychotherapy, Milan. I complete at least 50 hours of training every year.