Marilena Simona Hawkins

Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) Practitioner ,
MSc Integrative Psychotherapist, and Clinical Supervisor
Registered with the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) and the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

I am have over 15 years' experience working in NHS Psychology Services and private practice. I work with adults experiencing a wide range of emotional, relational, and psychological difficulties, offering a thoughtful and collaborative space where greater self-understanding and meaningful change can develop.

My clinical approach is grounded in Mentalization-Based Treatment and informed by Attachment Theory, Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic thinking, and Neuro-psychoanalysis. I am particularly interested in how early relational experiences shape our capacity to understand ourselves and others, influence our beliefs and emotional responses, and affect the quality of our relationships and life choices.

Much of my work focuses on the unconscious emotional patterns that emerge within our relationships with others and within our relationship with ourselves. These patterns often develop as adaptive responses to earlier experiences and can continue to influence how we think, feel, and relate in adulthood. Through therapy, clients can begin to recognise these underlying dynamic patterns, develop greater emotional awareness, and strengthen their capacity for reflection and curiosity about their own internal world and the minds of others. Together, we explore how implicit expectations, assumptions, and emotional meaning can shape relationships, and how these may differ from another person's subjective experience. This process can open new possibilities for understanding, emotional resilience, and more fulfilling relationships.
I have extensive experience working with individuals experiencing personality and relational difficulties, complex trauma, attachment-related issues, anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, low self-esteem, identity concerns, and challenges within personal and professional relationships. My integrative approach enables me to tailor therapy to each individual's needs while maintaining a strong psychodynamic and mentalizing framework.

Alongside my clinical practice, I provide supervision for psychotherapists and other mental health professionals. I offer a reflective and supportive supervisory space in which clinical work, therapeutic relationships, and professional development can be explored with curiosity, depth, and clarity.