Ilaria Calussi, BACP
25 years in practice
Ilaria Calussi offers calm, practical support for people worried about relationships, family tensions, parenting and trauma.
License and registration
- BACP
- 25320 · expires September 2026
- Years in practice
- 25
- Languages
- English, Italian
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the registration with the body that granted it.
About Ilaria
Ilaria Calussi offers calm, practical support for people worried about relationships, family tensions, parenting and trauma. They write plainly and listen closely to help clients say what matters and decide on clear next steps. Ilaria uses straightforward conversations to make sense of emotional patterns and find ways to feel steadier day to day.
Ilaria draws on 25 years of practice in NHS and charity settings and in independent practice. Their background includes roles in school-based services, social care supervision and work at the National Autism Unit.
Background and approach
They also lecture in psychology and counselling at the Open University. Their approach mixes Emotionally-Focused Therapy with attachment ideas and client-centred listening. Sessions focus on noticing emotional responses, naming painful patterns and trying small changes between meetings.
Practical tools from cognitive behavioural therapy are used when useful for thoughts and behaviours. Ilaria has worked with issues such as abandonment, adoption and foster care, attachment differences, autism and Asperger Syndrome, and ADHD. They also help with separation, domestic violence aftermath, chronic illness stress, caregiver strain and communication problems.
The emphasis is on understanding how past relationships shape present feelings. Therapy can include single sessions or ongoing work, and meetings are offered in English and Italian. Ilaria accepts international clients and uses video, phone, live chat or text-based messaging.
The starting step is a short matching questionnaire and then arranging sessions that fit the client’s schedule.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Ilaria lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Parenting issues
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Immigration issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Ilaria names
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Gottman Method
- Narrative Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Systemic Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
How approach and online sessions work together
Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) focuses on emotions and patterns in relationships. It helps people name strong feelings, see how those feelings shape interaction, and practise new ways of responding that build connection.Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early bonds influence current reactions. This approach helps people notice repeated patterns and try different responses in close relationships to reduce reactivity and increase trust.
Client-Centred Therapy puts the person’s experience at the heart of the work, with the therapist listening without judgement and supporting clients to find their own solutions. It is useful when someone needs a steady, accepting space to understand what matters most.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Ilaria will talk through goals, preferences and practical needs and agree a plan together. They often combine methods to match the person’s situation and adjust the focus as clients try things between sessions.
Online therapy offers flexibility through video, phone, live chat or text-based messaging. Video calls work well for face-to-face conversation and non-verbal cues, phone sessions suit lower bandwidth or quick check-ins, and messaging or live chat can fit into busy days or provide short ongoing support. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family and travel while keeping the therapeutic focus.
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Questions people ask
What concerns does Ilaria support?
Ilaria works with relationship and family difficulties, parenting challenges, trauma and abuse, and ADHD-related concerns. They also address issues such as abandonment, adoption and attachment problems.
What is Ilaria’s therapeutic style?
Their style is relational and down-to-earth, combining Emotionally-Focused Therapy, attachment-based ideas and client-centred listening. Practical CBT tools are used when helpful to change thoughts and behaviours.
How much experience do they have?
Ilaria has 25 years of experience working in NHS services, charities and independent practice, plus roles in schools and social care supervision.
What credentials and location apply?
Ilaria is registered with BACP and is based in the United Kingdom.
Can I speak to Ilaria in other languages?
Sessions are offered in English and Italian, and international clients are accepted.
Which formats are available for sessions?
Therapy is offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How are sessions paid for?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with Ilaria?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire, then schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.
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