Hi everyone!
My name is Ellen Byman, a Finnish Valvira registered psychologist and I’m the newest addition to the Compass Psychology team. My interest in the human psyche began early on, and in my early teens I had already decided that I wanted to become a psychologist. That dream came true when I got accepted into the psychology programme at Åbo Akademi University in 2018. I spent some of my best years studying there and it’s also where I discovered my main professional interest, the field of sexology. My university offered a broad selection of sexuality related courses and I also chose to write my Bachelor’s thesis on intimate partner violence in female couples. Later on, for my Master’s thesis, I explored the connection between sexual communication, jealousy, and relationship quality. At the moment, aside from my work at Compass Psychology, I work at a maternity health care clinic. There, I support individuals and couples in dealing with challenges such as anxiety and depression, changes in identity, uncertainty, and traumatic experiences.
Later this year I will complete my degree in Basic Sexology. Sexology is the scientific study of human sexuality, including topics like gender identity, intimacy, desire, pleasure, sexual behavior, communication, and the many social and cultural factors that influence them. Sexuality is a core part of being human and is deeply connected to our overall well-being. It’s not uncommon for mental health symptoms like anxiety, depression or stress to be related to problems in our sexual lives. Further, individuals who belong to either a sexual or a gender minority overall experience more anxiety and depression compared to individuals who don’t. Over my years studying I realised that most of us are lacking crucial knowledge on sexuality and that for many, it still feels taboo or embarrassing to discuss the topic, even with a partner. I also noticed that harmful myths, trends, norms and stereotypes often can interfere with desire, pleasure and enjoyment. Therefore, I seem to now have found my calling: working with an integrative counseling approach that combines the perspectives of both mental and sexual well-being. At Compass Psychology, I will collaborate with individuals and couples to address their unique concerns related to mental health and sexual well-being.
Outside of work, I enjoy spending my time with loved ones, by the ocean, in nature, doing sports, painting or travelling. I am a native Swedish speaker and I learned English and Finnish through friends, hobbies and volunteering in different organisations. I’m very excited to join Compass Psychology because internationality has been close to my heart for years. During my studies I did a semester abroad in Switzerland and I also volunteered for an umbrella organisation of European psychology students as the Member Representative of Finland. These experiences brought me immense joy, new friendships and valuable lessons.
I warmly invite you to visit my profile and reach out if you feel like counseling with me could be the right fit for you.
Warm regards,
Ellen
To read more about Ellen, check out her professional bio here.