CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY, EMOTIONAL WELLBEING AND EDUCATIONAL GUIDANCE

Hi,

I'm Cristina Estival

I’m an English native speaker. My approach is warm and integrative, combining psychotherapy with creative tools to support each child and their family in a way that feels right for them. My further background in educational guidance also helps me understand and support any difficulties that may arise at school.

get to know me better

Supporting a child means being present with care

From a young age, I became aware of how much small gestures matter, and how important it is to feel supported during difficult times. My own childhood experiences, shaped by anxiety and the loss of my father, gave me a deep understanding of a child’s emotional world and how to be sensitive to their needs.

Over time, therapy helped me make sense of what I was going through and start to feel more at ease. That experience is what now allows me to support children and adolescents in a warm, creative and respectful way, offering a safe space where they can express themselves and feel understood, without judgement.

I WANT TO HELP MY CHILD

When they feel understood, something shifts

My work is centred on creating a warm and safe space where each child can feel understood, express what they’re going through, and move forward at their own pace.

Through creative approaches such as art therapy, I support emotional expression and gently accompany each child in a way that feels right for them.

I WANT TO HELP MY CHILD

I began my professional work supporting children and teenagers. Over time, I expanded my work with adults, specialising in psychological trauma and EMDR therapy.

Along the way, I came to see how important early experiences are, and how many of the difficulties we face in adulthood often have their roots in childhood.

This experience deepened my commitment to supporting children while they are still able to make sense of what they’re going through, process their experiences, and grow with greater emotional balance.

Throughout my work, I have supported children and teenagers experiencing anxiety, school-related difficulties, grief, neurodivergencies (such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD and Giftedness), as well as experiences of trauma, among others.

Formal Training

  • B(Sc) Psychology (UNED)
  • M(Sc) General Health Psychology (VIU)
  • M(A) in Secondary Education Teacher Training, minor in Educational Guidance (ULPGC)
  • Applied Gestalt Therapy for Children and Teenagers (Instituto Gestalt de Canarias)
  • HND in Art Design – Photography (Escuela de Arte y Superior de Diseño Gran Canaria)

Further Training

  • EMDR Training (Adults) Levels 1 + 2 (Instituto EMDR & Instituto Médico Imaya)
  • Planification and Case Conceptualizing of EMDR Psychotherapy Treatment for Complex Cases and Challenging Patients (Spanish EMDR Association)
  • EMDR and Emotional Reprocessing – working with severely dysregulated patients (Spanish EMDR Association)
  • Complex trauma, attachment and dissociation: EMDR approaches to complex trauma (Spanish EMDR Association)
  • Evaluating Dissociation (Instituto Médico Imaya)
  • The Professional Practice of Parental Coordination (COF Foundation)
  • Trauma Sensitive Yoga - 20h (TCTSY under Carolina Frontini)
  • Self-regulated Studying Skill Training (UNED Foundation)
  • Art Therapy as a Professional Toolkit (ULPGC)
  • Professional Working Certificate in Illustration (Polytechnic International Centre)

Their emotional world
matters too

My aim is to support your child’s emotional wellbeing, creating a space where they can feel understood, express what they’re going through, and grow with greater ease as they begin to heal.

If something doesn’t feel quite right, or you simply want to better support your child, I’d be very happy to support you through this process.

I WANT AN APPOINTMENT