Catherine Deeks Gnocchi
Psychotherapist
Catherine Deeks Gnocchi is a mindfulness-based psychotherapist, educator, and Japanese ikigai practitioner who supports individuals navigating anxiety, life transitions, cultural adjustment, identity exploration, and the pressures of modern living. Grounded in compassion and reflective dialogue, her approach helps clients understand their emotional experiences as meaningful guides toward growth, connection, and purpose. Rooted in the Japanese philosophy of ikigai, Catherine’s work encourages a deeper connection to one’s authentic self, values, and sense of belonging, fostering emotional balance, self-acceptance, and sustainable wellbeing.
Therapeutic Approach
Catherine’s therapeutic approach is integrative, reflective, and values-based, combining mindfulness-based psychotherapy, ikigai (The Kemp Framework), and evolutionary psychology. She helps clients understand anxiety not as pathology, but as meaningful information, supporting emotional balance, nervous system regulation, and greater self-compassion. Central to her work is the practice of kindfulness, blending mindfulness with kindness to foster resilience, self-awareness, and a deeper sense of identity and purpose.
Professional Experience
Catherine holds an MSc in Psychology from the University of Essex, where her distinction-awarded research explored the relationship between anxiety and empathy. She is a psychotherapist/counsellor at the International Mental Health and Counselling Clinic in Tokyo and founder of estibasho, a community focused on emotional wellbeing, self-compassion, and purpose. With experience across psychotherapy, education, mentoring, and humanitarian work in Europe and Asia, Catherine brings a culturally sensitive approach to supporting individuals navigating life transitions and cross-cultural experiences.
Education & Credentials
Ready to take the first step?
Professional guidance awaits