York Psychotherapy was founded by Martina Banaj after her own lived experience with mental health challenges. Through navigating anxiety and chronic pain, she came to understand how deeply the mind and body are connected, and how misunderstood this connection can be within traditional approaches to care. That experience shaped the foundation of the practice.

York Psychotherapy is built on the belief that healing is not about fixing what is broken, but about reconnecting with parts of the self that have learned to protect, endure, or survive. Therapy here is collaborative, grounded, and paced with care. Clients are supported in understanding their patterns, emotions, and physical symptoms without judgment, pressure, or quick solutions.

The practice takes an integrative approach, drawing from evidence-based modalities while remaining deeply person-centred. York Psychotherapy believes that meaningful change happens when clients feel safe enough to explore their inner world, develop awareness, and build a relationship with themselves that feels more steady and compassionate.

As Founder and Clinical Director, Martina oversees the clinical vision of York Psychotherapy, ensuring that the work remains ethical, thoughtful, and rooted in genuine human connection. The goal of the practice is to offer a space where people feel understood as whole individuals, not as diagnoses or problems to be solved.