My name is Yury,
Fundamentally, my personal experience in psychotherapy stems from my own self-analysis; the slow breakdown and re-authoring of past traumas, thoughts, and maladaptive beliefs by using learned cognitive-behavioral techniques, releasing emotional blocks, and pushing myself through fears via exposure work.
I have battled severe anxiety, depression and drug addiction. I have felt the joy from being in love and the gut-wrenching agony from heartbreak; ridden the highs of social success and the lows of interpersonal isolation. As I’ve worked through many of these issues and have grown older (and hopefully wiser), I have come to realise that many of my life’s struggles are underlined by existential concerns and the search for a deeper meaning/ purpose in life.
Arriving to Australia as a refugee, the expectations that my family placed on me, based on their own cultural conditioning, were arduous. These expectations translated into an internal dialogue that insisted that life was about success and the achievement of goals – with a failure to do so, denoting my own inadequacy. I spent years trying to be the best, whilst negating to either accept my individuality nor appreciate my struggles. This lack of self-love; i.e. toxic shame, manifested itself through anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia and narcissism; which, in-turn, I attempted to manage with escapism - drugs, workaholism and thrill-seeking behaviour.
It was not until aged 24, when my first significant relationship ended, that for the first time in my life, I was forced to stop and take a look at my own reflection. At that time it dawned on me that I had no idea who I was looking at. What were this person’s values, his dreams, his desires? Did he enjoy being social or was he an introvert? How did he like to dress and what were his hobbies? The reflection was of a terrified, inauthentic and utterly lost individual.
The past fifteen years have subsequently been devoted to answering two questions: “who am I?” and “how can I live most authentically?” I’ve worked tirelessly to undo all the damage, firstly finding who I wasn’t, and then slowly piecing together who I am today. To say it’s been a roller-coaster is a great understatement. I slipped and fell countless times and continue to do so. My journey has taken me through numerous careers, business start-ups, workshops, degrees, therapy rooms, relationships, psychedelic and shamanic retreats. Aside from the joys, there’s been a lot of hurt, suffering and many set-backs, the total of which have brought me to THIS very moment. I wouldn’t change a thing. Along the way, while putting all my effort towards arriving there, I learnt that ‘there’ was no destination. It was always about the ride; about seeing the beauty not just in happiness, but in pain; about learning to appreciate every moment, including the not-so- good and the in-between ones. The goal is not to find answers, but rather to keep finding the courage to ask more questions!
Life can be difficult but it is also really beautiful and I’d like to offer my personal experiences and insights to help guide you towards developing your own positive outlook as well as a happy, meaningful and functional existence.
QUALIFICATIONS
Certificate in Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy (CPAT)
Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy
Thesis title: The relationship between adult ego-identity and intimacy: exploring self-love and loving other (click here to view)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (Microbiology)
Bachelor of Science: Biochemistry (Honours)
Bachelor of Science: Psychology/ Biochemistry
Certificate IV in Personal Training