Paolo Imbalzano, UKCP Accredited Psychotherapist

Paolo Imbalzano

Reading RG2 English, Italian
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Paolo Imbalzano, UKCP Accredited Psychotherapist

Paolo Imbalzano

Reading RG2 English, Italian
Shortlist Share

My Approach

I offer relational, trauma-informed psychotherapy that is body-aware, carefully paced, and formulation-led.

That means I do not apply the same method to everyone or work to a fixed formula. Instead, I try to understand what is happening for you specifically: the patterns you are caught in, how they may have developed, what your system has learned to do to cope, and what may be most likely to help now.

My work tends to suit people who may already understand their difficulties to some degree, but still find that insight alone has not been enough to bring lasting change. Often, something deeper remains active in the body, nervous system, or relational patterns, especially under stress, uncertainty, or closeness.

I pay close attention to pace. I do not tend to rush towards the deepest material. Where needed, the work begins with stabilisation: helping life feel more manageable, supporting regulation, and creating enough steadiness for deeper therapy to become possible. In trauma work, stabilisation is not separate from the therapy; it is often part of the work itself.

My primary training is in Relational Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy. Alongside this, I integrate approaches such as Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), EMDR, parts-informed work, and, where appropriate, ILF neurofeedback. These are not used as a menu of techniques, but brought in where they genuinely fit the person and the process.

I work with individuals, couples, and groups, and I also offer clinical supervision.

About Me

I am a UKCP-registered psychotherapist and clinical supervisor, and a BACP-registered member. I offer psychotherapy for adults aged 16+ in person in Shinfield, Reading, and online.

My work is particularly shaped by relational Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy, together with substantial post-qualifying training in trauma-informed, body-aware approaches. These include Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), EMDR, and ILF neurofeedback.

Many people who come to me are living with anxiety, overwhelm, shutdown, dissociation, relationship difficulties, or longstanding patterns that remain hard to shift. Some arrive already thinking in terms of trauma or attachment; others simply know that something has felt persistently difficult for a long time, even if they are still functioning outwardly.

Before training as a psychotherapist, I worked in telecommunications for over 25 years. That background still influences how I work: clear thinking, careful pacing, thoughtful structure, and regular review points. For some clients, this helps therapy feel more grounded and manageable, especially when life already feels pressured, confusing, or overloaded.

I work with

  • Companies
  • Couples
  • Groups
  • Individuals
  • Private healthcare referrals

Special Interests

Like all UKCP registered psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors I can work with a wide range of issues, but here are some areas in which I have a special interest or additional experience.

Anxiety, chronic stress, and overwhelm I work with anxiety in its broader context, especially where it is linked to trauma, attachment, chronic pressure, or a nervous system that rarely settles. This can include panic, chronic tension, sleep disruption, over-functioning, and feeling persistently on edge.
See comments under Trauma and Anxiety
See comments under Trauma
Attachment and relationship difficulties I have a particular interest in how early relational experience shapes the ways people relate to themselves and others. This may show up as difficulty trusting, fear of closeness, people-pleasing, conflict cycles, shame, withdrawal, or repeating painful relationship patterns.
Trauma and complex trauma I work with the effects of trauma where the system may still be organised around threat, even when the original danger has passed. This can include hypervigilance, overwhelm, shutdown, dissociation, emotional reactivity, or long-standing difficulties with safety, trust, and regulation.I work with the effects of trauma where the system may still be organised around threat, even when the original danger has passed. This can include hypervigilance, overwhelm, shutdown, dissociation, emotional reactivity, or long-standing difficulties with safety, trust, and regulation. Dissociation, shutdown, and nervous-system dysregulation Some clients live with patterns of disconnection, numbness, collapse, brain fog, or a sense of being unable to stay fully present under stress. I am interested in supporting regulation and helping these responses become more understandable and more workable over time. Shame, self-criticism, and people-pleasing I am interested in the quieter ways trauma and attachment difficulty can show up, including harsh self-judgement, over-adaptation, difficulty setting boundaries, and patterns of trying to stay safe through compliance, striving, or self-silencing. When previous therapy has helped, but not fully resolved things Many people come to me after therapy that has been helpful to a point, but where something still feels stuck. I have a particular interest in work with clients who have insight into their patterns, but still find themselves pulled back into old protective responses. Body-aware and integrative trauma psychotherapy I have a special interest in integrating relational psychotherapy with body-aware and trauma-focused approaches such as Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), EMDR, and, where appropriate, ILF neurofeedback.

Types of Therapies Offered

  • Transactional Analysis Psychotherapist

What I can help with

  • Anorexia
  • Anxiety
  • Bereavement
  • Bullying
  • Chronic Illness
  • Cultural Issues
  • Depression
  • Eating Disorders
  • Health-related Issues
  • Identity Problems
  • Obsessions
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • Online Counselling
  • Phobias
  • Post-Traumatic Stress
  • Relationships
  • Sexual Abuse
  • Stress
  • Trauma

Types of sessions

  • Face to Face - Long Term
  • Face to Face - Short Term
  • Online Therapy
  • Telephone Therapy

Reading Office

4 Sharpe place
Shinfield
Reading RG2 9WJ
UK

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Cost:

see https://www.presentingpast.co.uk/fees-and-other-details

Concession:

Limited

UKCP College

  • Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy College (HIPC)
Paolo Imbalzano

Paolo Imbalzano

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