I am a licensed psychotherapist (European Certificate of Psychotherapy) from Belgrade, Serbia. I hold a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Belgrade and a Serbian National Certificate of Psychotherapy. I am a member of the Serbian Psychological Society and The Psychological Society of Ireland and an affiliate member of the American Psychological Association (APA). My perspective on counseling is humanistic and it emphasizes direct contact with the client, a problem-focused approach directed toward personal growth and development. Together with my clients, I am trying to reach a point where we can feel comfortable and relaxed enough to achieve maximum results. I strongly believe that counseling is a process in which both the counselor and the client participate equally and thus have shared responsibility. The counselor and the client are both there to change and evolve over time—like any other relationship between human beings, both participants are growing during the process. The work in which I am involved emphasizes participation, awareness, and sharing, and my position is not the position of a professional who is there only to diagnose and assess. On the contrary, my strong belief is that only collaborative effort and open human relationships can lead to therapeutic change—these are, in fact, elements that are truly healing in counseling.
I have 15 years of experience in working with people on their most intimate problems. My clients’ experience spans various issues: anxiety and depression, PTSD and trauma, burnout and stress, alcoholism, work with refugees, and drug abuse. Furthermore, I have also worked in the field of marriage counseling.
According to the humanistic perspective, a client is not seen by the therapist as “wrong,” “sick,” or that something is inherently wrong with them. They are actively involved in battling a variety of stressors, just like everyone else. When our coping mechanisms stop helping, we recognize that there is “a problem” or “a symptom” that needs to be addressed. In those situations, it is crucial to seek professional assistance and participate in counseling.
Vladimir Mušicki, PhD 