About me

My name is Adelina-Gabriela Rotaru, and professionally, I am a psychological counselor, psychotherapist for adults and children, somatic therapist, and practitioner in Somatic Experiencing and NeuroAffective Relational Model.

Without thinking too much about my professional future at that time, I could say that I began my journey as a psychotherapist back in high school when I first studied Psychology, a subject I later chose as my examination topic for the Baccalaureate. This naturally led to my undergraduate studies in Psychology, followed by a master's degree and professional training in psychotherapy and somatic therapies.

Throughout my studies and beyond, I undertook various internships, volunteered, and worked in several centers and institutions where I had numerous learning opportunities and interactions with individuals that enriched my experience. This included children with diagnoses such as autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, children in foster care and placement centers, individuals with substance dependencies, those affected by HIV/AIDS, women and children victims of domestic violence seeking refuge in social centers, as well as LGBTQIA individuals.

Studying child and family psychology and psychotherapy, I discovered the joy of working with children, parents, and educators in private kindergartens in Bucharest and Ploiești, alongside my work in a private practice.

Changes in my personal life led to shifts in my professional journey, temporarily interrupted when I became a mother. The experience of the early years with my children has been and continues to be the richest and most intense for me, both as a person and as a psychologist, challenging all my resources and knowledge, pushing me to grow and develop more than I had imagined.

During my childcare leave, I volunteered, working for a while with children in vulnerable situations. Simultaneously, I pursued further studies in the field, particularly drawn to trauma-focused psychotherapy and somatic therapies. Thus, I delved into somatic therapies through international training in Somatic Experiencing founded by Dr. Peter Levine and training in the TRE method - Tension and Trauma Release Exercises, founded by Dr. David Bercelli.

This marked a turning point in my journey as a psychotherapist. Training in trauma and body-centered therapies, such as TRE, Somatic Experiencing, EMDR and NARM, along with systemic constellations for addressing family and generational traumas, and ongoing studies, naturally complemented my previous experiences and left their mark on my private practice. I had the opportunity to learn out of curiosity and genuine pleasure, discovering the human experience from various perspectives, both through continuous education and interactions with clients in my practice.

I share that personal struggles and challenges have directed me towards this field, where, in addition to the mentioned experiences, I have learned and continue to learn firsthand about the therapeutic process, both from the therapist's perspective and as a client. I believe that, as a therapist, I require ongoing mental and emotional hygiene and a certain internal ecology to provide quality support for each client. Therefore, I continue to explore my own self through therapeutic processes with different therapeutic approaches. In recent years, I've learned how crucial the connection with my own body is, which has become a valuable compass in my personal life and in my practice.

I strongly believe that this field is one where we continuously learn, not only about human nature and others but about ourselves, the individuals behind the role of a psychotherapist.