About
You’ve been doing the work. You’ve laid on couches, sat in groups, and nodded your way through a few workshops. But sometimes, the traditional rhythm of psychotherapy feels disconnected from the rhythm of your actual life and your inner self.
You find yourself commuting through traffic to talk about a crisis that evaporated three days ago. Or a heavy realization hits you on a Tuesday, but your appointment isn't until Thursday, and by then, the emotional charge has flattened into a historical recount. And then there is the talking itself. For some of us, vocalizing our inner world can pull us right out of it, forcing us to manage someone else's presence rather than actually staying in contact with feelings and thoughts.
Imagine a different mode for your growth. One that meets you where you are.
You sit down when the house is quiet, pour a cup of tea, and let the room settle. You are deeply anchored in yourself, and you let it spill onto the page. Or, conversely, the moment a storm hits, you don't wait for a scheduled hour. You take out your phone, walk over to the park, and type it out in the raw heat of the moment. You capture the feeling while it's still breathing.
I’m providing that space. Hi, I’m Malka. I'm pleased to meet you.
I work through a modality called epistolary psychoanalysis, or, more simply, writing therapy. I’m a certified (neuro)psychoanalyst with a PhD in evolutionary anthropology and an MSc in psychotherapy science.
Instead of the clinic environment and the pressure of a ticking clock, we use the written word to interact. Through asynchronous private correspondence and structured peer collectives, we externalize your internal experiences onto the page. This quiet space allows us to trace the origins of your patterns and notice where your loops misfire. We then reroute your inner landscape at your own pace and on your own terms.
My practice is an inclusive space. I am an LGBTQ+ ally, kink-aware, sex-positive, childfree-affirming, weight-inclusive, and neurodivergent-affirming psychoanalyst. Whoever you are, and however you navigate the world, you are warmly welcome.
You like to read the fine print?
I appreciate that. Here’s the story behind why you might choose to work with me. My background, my training, and the experiences that have shaped my approach.
My preoccupation with the human mind turned up unexpectedly while studying language and literature. At the undergraduate finale, I entertained myself with conceptual metaphors of emotion in everyday language. I grew attached to the topic and, in my postgraduate assignment on marketing, I examined how emotions influence purchasing decisions. By then, I found myself increasingly curious, which led me to pivot toward psychological disciplines. I pursued a BSc and an MSc in psychotherapy science and entered psychoanalytical training. As my understanding of the biological foundations of the mental world expanded, I augmented my background with neuroanalytical training and a PhD in evolutionary anthropology, later leading to a postdoc in human ethology. I am currently advancing my clinical training through the International Neuropsychoanalysis Society's two-year specialization program to become a certified Neuropsychoanalyst.
What does this mean for my work with you?
Rooted in a psychoanalytic orientation, I am trained in depth approaches that integrate unconscious processes, developmental dynamics, and relational theories. I don’t believe in shortcuts or instant solutions, and instead swear by the patient, deliberate work on changeovers. My grounding in biology reassures me that nothing organic transforms overnight; shaping new mental patterns is akin to tending a tree. It takes time, care, and patience. The insights from affective science declare that emotions are the roots of this tree, even if elusive and capricious. Trimming and shaping them requires a steady hand, devotion, and a willingness to experiment. Practicing in different therapeutic frameworks, including existential and positive psychotherapies, phenomenological inquiry, and my alma mater, psychoanalysis, favored me with a diverse set of tools for this mission. They allow me to style my approach to your uniqueness, always anchored in evidence-based practice.
Of course, theoretical knowledge alone does not cultivate skill; experience does. I honed mine through diverse adventures. My earliest go back attending to kids and teens with special needs in their language learning. Going ahead, I volunteered in youth programs, community centers, and counseling services. As a research assistant in the health sector and humanities, I collaborated on national and international projects on mental health and well-being. During my psychoanalytical training and later in my private practice, I worked clinically, addressing emotional, relational, and personality challenges in adults. In the course of all this time, I’ve had the privilege of sharing my time with a colorful spectrum of beautiful people, from high-performing professionals to individuals seeking to rebuild their lives after profound challenges.
In recent years, I’ve narrowed my work to what turned out to still matter the most to me: emotions. I'm developing a range of services for cultivating emotional health, from one-to-one meetings to group programs that foster community and ongoing learning. I enjoy creating digital products: books, classes, and workshops designed to help you navigate the emotional landscape and transform it into an orchestra that plays in harmony with the life you want to live.
My approach has grown deeply rooted in evolutionary theory and affective science. I settled in evolutionary anthropology, but draw from akin disciplines such as evolutionary psychiatry, cognitive and social neuroscience, and relational neurobiology. These perspectives complement and refine traditional mental models, providing a clearer map of the biological underpinnings of emotion, motivation, and behavior. They illuminate not only why you feel the way you do, but also how to work with those feelings to align them with your goals and aspirations.
I'd like to learn more about how I can support your emotional growth. I invite you to explore my resources, join my programs, or reach out to connect.
"You feel, therefore you are."
- Jaak Panksepp
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