Counselling, IFS Therapy in Stevenage, Hertfordshire and Online

  • Support in English and Polish

About Me

Counsellor in Stevenage and Online

"....in a world of algorithms, hashtags and followers, know the true importance of human connection..."

Why do I do this work?

I’ve always been drawn to the quiet depth of human connection.

As a mother and someone rooted in tradition, I’ve witnessed how relationships shape us and how easy it is to lose our sense of belonging in today’s fast-paced, digital world.


Counselling offers a space to slow down, reconnect, and reflect - a space where you can come back to yourself.


That’s why this work matters to me.

I see therapy as a shared journey, a quiet unfolding, where healing doesn’t always arrive with answers, but with presence. I walk beside my clients, not ahead of them, learning as much as I offer, holding space with curiosity, humility, and care.


My approach is rooted in the Person-Centred tradition, enriched by Internal Family Systems (IFS), Family Constellation Work, and Polyvagal Theory. These frameworks help explore how we carry our stories, - not just in our minds, but in our bodies, relationships, and lineages.


Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with people from many walks of life, from professionals to ex-prisoners and these human encounters, along with my own path through therapy, continue to show me how resilient the human spirit is when met with compassion.


Being a native Polish speaker, I hold a special place in my heart for those from migrant and minority backgrounds, especially from EU countries, who are navigating the emotional complexity of building a new life in a new land. I know the quiet aching of displacement, and the strength it takes to integrate and to belong again.

As a woman in this work, I’ve been deeply moved by the quiet courage of those who choose to be healed, both men and women and the powerful tenderness that arises when we are finally seen, just as we are.


When I’m not working, you’ll often find me walking in the park or wood, letting nature help me find calm. I call it my “therapy of looking up.”

Music, especially folk and world sounds, grounds me. Yoga brings me back to my breath and body when life feels overwhelming.


The way back to ourselves is not a straight line. But it is always possible. And it begins, simply, by turning inward and being gently met there.

If it resonates with you send me a message or book a consultation.





Qualifications and Training

  • Polyvagal Informed PVI, (Polyvagal Institute Steven W. Porges, Ph.D.), 2024
  • Level 3 Training Program in Internal Family Systems Therapy with Chris Burris, LMFT (IFS Institute), 2021
  • Level 2 Training Program in Internal Family Systems Therapy, Deepening and Expanding with Osnat Arbel, Ph.D. (IFS Institute), 2021
  • Level 1 Training Program in Internal Family Systems Therapy with Osnat Arbel, Ph.D. (IFS Institute), 2020
  • Master Course Bert Hellinger with Polish Institute of Brief Therapy, Krakow, Poland
  • Couples Relationship
  • Parents and Children: How to find the way to your parents and to help difficult children
  • Health and Illness: What in the family causes illness and what can heal them
  • Family Constellations Training, Taunus-Institut Für Systemaufstellungen with Gerhard Walper and Wolfgang Deusser, Poland
  • Advanced Diploma in Counselling Person-Centred Approach, UK
  • MA in Pedagogy, University of Maria Sklodowska-Curie in Lublin, Poland (specialising in drama for children and young adults)
  • Ongoing Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
  • Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

I am committed to ongoing professional development to ensure I can provide the best possible support to my clients. My practice is supervised and adheres to the BACP's ethical framework, guaranteeing a high standard of professional and ethical care.

I am truly grateful for the wisdom and guidance of Richard Schwartz, Stephen Porges, Frank Anderson, Deb Dana, Chris Burris, Osnat Arbel, Janina Fisher, Bert Hellinger, Gerhard Walper, M. Rajchert-Lewandowska, Iwona Kopacz, Gordon Symons, Ariella Schwartz, also Polyvagal Institute in Poland and Polish Association of Somatic Experiencing (PSSE).


© Anita Orton Counselling and IFS Therapy

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