Contact Matleena directly:
Matleena Vanhanen, M.A. (UK)
Counseling psychologist, couples therapist and family mediator
Short- and long-term counseling and psychotherapy for adults and couples. Discernment counseling for couples. Family mediation for child arrangements. Services offered in English and Finnish.
My approach
Individual therapy
Many people reach out to me when the ways they have been coping with life’s challenges no longer feel effective. My role is to help you find relief from distress, increase your self-awareness and make choices in life that are best for you. You will learn to form healthier relationships, better manage aspects in life that are beyond your control and be able to live fully.
Some people come with a wish to grow personally or to reflect on existential questions, such as the meaning of life and death, or what it means to live a good life. I can guide you in these explorations as well.
Therapy is a collaborative process: your active participation, together with a foundation of trust, is essential for therapeutic progress. Meaningful and long-lasting change happens on an emotional level, and the therapeutic relationship creates a space for healing and growth.
My areas of interest include:
Relationship problems: conflict, parenting, intimacy, trust, communication
Mood: depression, mood swings, irritability, sadness
Anxiety: fear, worry, stress, panic
Sleep problems: insomnia, nightmares
Grief and loss: bereavement, divorce
Self-esteem difficulties: shyness, assertiveness, difficulties forming relationships
Chronic illness
Existential dilemmas: meaning in life, death, isolation, freedom
Trauma
Each person comes to therapy with unique life experiences. I will meet you where you are, and together we will clarify your goals and find a way of working on them that feels both supportive and effective. My practice is grounded primarily in the existential–phenomenological approach, while also integrating Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Throughout our work, I place strong emphasis on the therapeutic relationship and on exploring your attachment experiences.
Couples Therapy
My work with couples draws on both the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy. We begin with a relationship assessment to identify your strengths as a couple and the areas that may need attention. In therapy, you will learn research-based strategies to improve communication, better understand your relational dynamics, and strengthen the emotional bond with your partner.
Couples seek therapy for different reasons: some want to enrich their relationship and prevent difficulties from arising, while others come because they are experiencing significant distress.
I work with a wide range of couples, including those in polygamous marriages.
For a more detailed description of couples therapy, go to our Couples Therapy page.
Discernment counseling: Discernment counseling is a short-term, structured approach for couples in crisis who feel uncertain about the future of their relationship. My role is to help you gain clarity about what has brought you to this point and to support you in making a confident decision about the best path forward. For a more detailed description, go to our Discernment Counseling page
Family mediation: The best interests of the children are at the heart of family mediation. Mediation provides a structured, confidential conversation in a safe environment. My role is to guide you and the other parent in developing a parenting plan and making arrangements that serve your children’s needs. The aim is to help you move toward an agreement that feels fair and workable. You will never have to accept anything against your wishes. For more information, go to our Family Mediation page
My qualifications
I hold an MA in Psychology from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, as well as an MA in Counselling Psychology and a Post-MA qualification in Existential Counselling Psychology from City University, UK. I am a Certified Gottman Therapist and a Certified Discernment Counselor. I am also trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples, EMDR and family mediation.
In Finland, I worked as both a Clinical Psychologist and a School Psychologist, supporting children, adults, couples, families, and older adults in kindergartens, schools, and health centres.
In the UK, I worked as a Specialist Counselling Psychologist within the National Health Service (NHS) and in private practice. I relocated to Cyprus in 2006, where I continued in private practice and also provided services for an online counseling and coaching company. Since 2011, I have been based in Dubai.
I am a member of the Finnish Psychological Association and the British Psychological Society. I am licensed to practise in Finland and Dubai. My Community Development Authority (CDA) license number is CDA-PL-0001031.
Discernment counseling is a new way of helping couples where one person is “leaning out” of the relationship—and not sure that regular marriage counseling would help — and the other is “leaning in” — that is, interested in rebuilding the marriage.
Matleena will help you decide whether to try to restore your marriage to health, move toward divorce, or take a time out and decide later.
The goal is for you to gain clarity and confidence about a direction, based on a deeper understanding of your relationship and its possibilities for the future.
The goal is not to solve your marital problems but to see if they are solvable. You will each be treated with compassion and respect no matter how you are feeling about your marriage at the moment. No bad guys and good guys.
You will come in as a couple but the most important work occurs in the one-to-one conversations with Matleena. Why? Because you are starting out in different places.
Matleena respects your reasons for divorce while trying to open up the possibility of restoring the marriage to health.
The importance of each of you seeing your own contributions to the problems and the possible solutions is emphasised during the sessions. This will be useful in future relationships even if this one ends.
Number of sessions: A maximum of five sessions. The first session is up to 120 minutes and the subsequent sessions are 80 minutes.
Cost: The first session is 2000 AED and the subsequent sessions cost 1360 AED.
Discernment counseling is not suited for these situations:
When one spouse has already made a final decision to divorce
When one spouse is coercing the other to participate
When there is danger of domestic violence
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