I'm Elena Izard, a bilingual psychologist and psychotherapist based in the centre of Turin, with over thirty years of clinical experience. I offer individual therapy in English — in person at my practice near Porta Nuova, or online, wherever you are. Being able to talk about what matters most in your own language isn't a detail: for many people, it's what makes the work possible.
I'm bilingual: the daughter of an English father and an Italian mother, I grew up between two languages and two cultures. English isn't something I learned — it's part of who I am.
I read, listen and write as a native speaker, with a natural ear for the nuances of language and for the identity of the person in front of me. That in-between space, moving between cultures, is also part of how I work.
Then we're a very good match. You can express yourself freely in English — the language that comes most naturally when it counts — while I follow you completely, and we can move between English and Italian whenever that helps. I've worked in exactly this way with many people over the years, and I'm very much at home in it.
My English is at an advanced, near-native level in every respect; in speaking, I'm a little slower than someone born to it. If you'd like the whole conversation held in English, call me first and let's talk for a few minutes — so you can hear for yourself whether my spoken English feels right for the work you have in mind.
I'd rather be open about this from the start than have it get in the way later: good therapy rests on genuinely understanding each other.
Registered with the Order of Psychologists of Piedmont since 1994, I trained twice over — as a systemic family therapist and as a cognitive-behavioural therapist — so I keep both your inner world and your relationships and family context in view.
My work is grounded in attachment theory, from John Bowlby to its more recent developments, and in recent years I've drawn on Gabor Maté's Compassionate Inquiry. The thread through all of it is helping you towards a fuller awareness of yourself, and a way of holding the different parts of who you are together.
At my private practice in Via San Massimo 45, in the historic centre — about ten minutes' walk from Porta Nuova station.
Bilingual sessions by secure video call, with the same care and confidentiality. Useful if you're outside Turin, travelling, or simply prefer it.
Individual work with adolescents, adults and older adults — people at every stage of life, by appointment only.
Some of the difficulties people bring to me. If what you're carrying isn't on this list, that's no reason not to write — it's the conversation that tells us whether we're a good fit.
Write to me or call — in English, of course. I reply personally, as soon as I can.
Your privacy comes first. You won't find any forms on this site: I've chosen not to collect any data online, so your privacy is protected from the very first moment. I'd rather you wrote to me privately — by email, phone or WhatsApp — whenever and however you feel most comfortable.
Book a first appointment online, or simply write to me — whichever feels easier.