About me

My name is Adelina Rotaru. I am a trauma-specialized psychotherapist working with adults and groups internationally, offering online psychotherapy grounded in somatic and relational approaches.

My work integrates experiential, relational, and somatic approaches, with a particular focus on trauma, resilience, and the integration of mind, emotions, and body. I place equal importance on nervous system regulation, symptom management when needed, and deeper psychological exploration, including emotional processing, self-awareness, cognitive restructuring, and personal growth.

I currently work exclusively with adults, both in private practice and online.

Professional Background

My interest in psychology began early, driven by a genuine curiosity about people and the human experience. I chose this path during high school, where psychology was one of my main subjects, and continued my education through university studies, professional training programs, clinical practice, ongoing learning, and extensive personal development work.

I hold a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a Master's Degree in Psychological Counseling and Psychotherapy for Adults and Children. I am a licensed psychotherapist accredited by the Romanian College of Psychologists.

During the early years of my career, I worked in a variety of institutional and private settings with:

  • Children and adolescents experiencing emotional, behavioral, and developmental difficulties
  • Children and young people within the social protection system
  • Survivors of domestic violence living in shelters and social support centers
  • Individuals living with addictions or chronic illnesses
  • LGBTQIA+ youth and adults
  • Parents, educators, teachers, coordinators, and management teams within educational settings

These experiences provided me with a broad understanding of how people suffer, adapt, and build resilience, while also highlighting the importance of pacing, relationship, and safety within the therapeutic process.

For many years, my clinical work was grounded primarily in experiential and relational psychotherapy, both professionally and through my own personal therapeutic journey. While these approaches offered valuable insight and understanding, it became increasingly clear that for many individuals, cognitive and emotional awareness alone was not sufficient.

This realization deepened over time and was further shaped by significant personal life experiences, including becoming a mother. These experiences brought forward the importance of working more directly with the body and the nervous system.

As a result, I gradually specialized in body-oriented and trauma-informed approaches that address not only psychological understanding but also the psychophysiological ways in which experiences are organized and held within both body and mind.

Today, this perspective forms a central pillar of my clinical practice.

How I Work Today

My approach integrates somatic and psychological models that support self-regulation while also allowing for the deeper exploration of relational and psychological patterns.

My work is particularly informed by:

  • Somatic Experiencing®
  • NARM® (NeuroAffective Relational Model)
  • Somatic Psychology, including Integral Somatic Psychology® and Bodynamic Somatic Developmental Psychology
  • Experiential and Relational Psychotherapy
  • Trauma-informed somatic therapy, movement practices, and embodied awareness

I view therapy as a collaborative process that is tailored to each individual. Rather than pursuing quick fixes or forcing change, the work focuses on gradually building safety, clarity, resilience, and integration.

I believe that meaningful and lasting transformation emerges when people can develop a deeper relationship with both their internal experience and their body's innate capacity for regulation and healing.

Education & Professional Training

I am committed to ongoing professional development and continuously expanding my knowledge through advanced clinical trainings, international certification programs, workshops, and interdisciplinary study.

  • Yoga Therapy Training (800 Hours) – currently in training (2025–2027), accredited by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) and organized by Yoga Therapy Greece. Yoga Therapy is a specialized therapeutic discipline that integrates traditional yoga practices within an evidence-informed clinical framework drawing from neuroscience, psychology, functional anatomy, and contemporary research. Yoga Therapy is applied as a complementary intervention for mental health conditions such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and insomnia, as well as chronic pain, musculoskeletal disorders, autoimmune, endocrine, digestive, cardiovascular, and respiratory conditions, neurological rehabilitation, and work with special populations. The primary aim is to enhance functioning, reduce symptoms, improve self-regulation, and support overall well-being in accordance with the professional standards established by the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
  • Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor (200 Hours) (2025). Recognized by the Association of Fitness, Nutrition and Yoga Specialists and Yoga Alliance.
  • Integral Somatic Psychology™ Professional Training (2024–2025). Advanced international training developed by Dr. Raja Selvam, founder of Integral Somatic Psychology® and author of The Practice of Embodying Emotions. This program explores the integration of contemporary neuroscience, cognitive psychology, embodied cognition, and affective neuroscience to enhance emotional, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes in psychotherapy.
  • Foundational Training in Bodynamic Psychotherapy (2024–2025). An international training program originating in Denmark and considered one of the pioneering approaches in somatic developmental psychology and body-oriented psychotherapy. Bodynamic integrates attachment theory, developmental psychology, psychomotor development, neuroscience, cognitive approaches, and depth psychology, with a strong emphasis on healthy relationships and relational capacity.
  • Bodynamic Basic Tools Workshop (2024). Facilitated by Mar Barosso and organized by Bodynamic International and Somatic Personal Development.
  • The Full Embodiment Model: Uncovering the Roots of Sexuality Trauma (2023). Advanced workshop led by Ariel Giaretto, focusing on embodiment, sexuality, gender identity, trauma, and resilience.
  • NARM® (NeuroAffective Relational Model) Clinical Training (2022–2023). A two-year international clinical training for mental health professionals working with complex trauma, developmental trauma, attachment wounds, and relational difficulties. NARM® is a psychodynamic and somatic model designed to address the long-term impact of early attachment disruptions and developmental trauma.
  • Trauma, Emotion and Spirituality (2023). Advanced workshop led by Dr. Raja Selvam, founder of Integral Somatic Psychology® and senior Somatic Experiencing® faculty member.
  • Introduction to CranioSacral Therapy (CSTi) (2023). Training provided by Upledger Institute International through Upledger Romania. CranioSacral Therapy is a gentle, hands-on approach that supports the body's natural self-regulatory and healing capacities.
  • Advanced Strategies for Working with Sexual Trauma and Sexuality (2022). Professional training led by Ariel Giaretto, Somatic Experiencing® faculty member and specialist in somatic sexuality education and sexual trauma recovery.
  • European Polyvagal Theory Congress (2022). Organized by Polyvagal Akademie (Germany) and Polyvagal Institute (USA).
  • EMDR Level I Training (2022). Accredited by EMDR Institut Österreich. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychotherapy approach widely used in the treatment of trauma and stress-related conditions.
  • The Transforming Power of Affect: Emotion-Focused Therapy (2022). Workshop led by Professor Leslie Greenberg, founder of Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT).
  • Psychological Trauma: Assessment and Clinical Intervention (2021). Continuing professional training accredited by the Romanian College of Psychologists.
  • Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP) (2019–2022). Three-year professional certification in Somatic Experiencing®, a psychobiological approach developed by Dr. Peter Levine for the treatment of trauma, chronic stress, and nervous system dysregulation.
  • TRE® – Tension and Trauma Release Exercises (2020–2021). Completed two of the three training modules in the international TRE® certification program developed by Dr. David Berceli.

Additional Training

My continuing education also includes professional training in:

  • Prenatal and postnatal psychotherapy
  • Hypnotherapy and Ericksonian approaches
  • Childhood trauma and developmental psychology
  • Psychotic symptoms in children
  • Schema Therapy
  • Emotion-Focused Therapy
  • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
  • Trauma-informed care and resilience

Academic Education

  • Master's Degree in Assessment, Counseling and Psychotherapy of Children, Couples and Families
    Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest (2012–2014)
  • Bachelor's Degree in Psychology
    Faculty of Psychology and Sociology, Spiru Haret University, Bucharest (2008–2011)

Professional Experience

  • 2015 – Present: Workshop Facilitator, Trainer and Group Leader. Designing and facilitating workshops, courses, and experiential groups for adults, organizations, and companies on topics including stress management, trauma and resilience, nervous system regulation, somatic practices, embodiment, emotional integration, sexuality, and sexual health education.
  • 2015 – Present: Psychological Counselor and Psychotherapist
    Private Practice – Rotaru Adelina-Gabriela Psychological Practice, Bucharest, Romania. Providing psychotherapy and psychological counseling for adults, both in-person and online. My clinical work focuses primarily on trauma, attachment, emotional regulation, resilience, personal development, and the integration of somatic and psychological approaches.
  • 2021: Collaborating Psychotherapist at Ajungem Mari Association, Bucharest, Romania. Provided psychotherapy services for children living in foster care and residential care centers, supporting emotional well-being, trauma recovery, and psychological development.
  • 2016 – 2017: Volunteer - Psychological Counselor and Psychotherapist
    at Casa Ioana Foundation, Bucharest, Romania. Provided psychological counseling and psychotherapy for survivors of domestic violence and individuals experiencing homelessness. Supported clients in trauma recovery, emotional stabilization, and rebuilding personal resources and resilience.
  • 2014 – 2017: Consulting Psychologist and Psychotherapist at Private Educational Institutions, Bucharest and Ploiești, Romania. Developed and coordinated personal development programs for preschool and school-age children, facilitated psychoeducational workshops for parents, and provided consultation and support for teachers and educational staff.
  • 2014: Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapist
    at Association for the Recovery of Children with Autism in Romania (A.R.C.A.R.), Bucharest. Provided individualized therapeutic interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) methodologies.
  • 2013: Volunteer Psychologist at Alexandru Obregia Clinical Psychiatric Hospital – Addiction Treatment Department, Bucharest.
  • 2013. Volunteer Psychologist at PsihArt Center, Bucharest. Participated in psychological assessment, counseling, and mental health support services.
  • 2012 – 2014: Volunteer Psychologist at General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection, Sector 5, Bucharest. Provided psychological support and participated in multidisciplinary services for children, adolescents, and families involved in the child protection system.

Professional Memberships