Compassionate Inquiry in Greater Oslo, Norway, with a certified practitioner

Compassionate Inquiry is a psychotherapeutic approach developed by Dr. Gabor Mate that focuses on uncovering the unconscious patterns formed in childhood that continue to shape our adult lives. Unlike CBT, which focuses primarily on changing thoughts and behaviours, or traditional talk therapy, which can stay on the surface of current problems, Compassionate Inquiry goes deeper. I guide you to explore the emotional truth beneath your symptoms, behaviours, or struggles. The process is gentle, but it asks real questions about what you learned to believe about yourself, what you learned was safe or dangerous, and what parts of yourself you learned to hide. Many clients find it particularly powerful because it connects present-day struggles, like anxiety or relationship difficulties, directly to their roots. It's not about blame or revisiting trauma for the sake of it. It's about understanding how you adapted as a child, and how those adaptations might no longer serve you now.

Yes, I'm a certified Compassionate Inquiry practitioner. I trained directly with Dr. Gabor Mate and completed the full Compassionate Inquiry training programme. This isn't something I've picked up secondhand or learned from a book. I've studied the approach in depth, practiced it extensively under supervision, and continue to engage with the Compassionate Inquiry community of practitioners. Dr. Mate's work has had a profound influence on the way I work, particularly his understanding of trauma, addiction, and how early attachment experiences shape who we become. I bring that training into every session, but I also bring my own experience as a psychotherapist with a background in integrative therapy, which means I can adapt the approach to what each client needs. If you're curious about the training itself, or want to know more about how I work, we can talk about that in your free consultation.

Compassionate Inquiry is particularly effective for issues that have roots in early life experiences, especially where you sense that your current struggles are connected to patterns you can't quite shift on your own. It works well for anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, addiction, chronic stress, burnout, and self-worth issues. It's also powerful for people who have done other kinds of therapy and feel like they understand their problems intellectually, but still can't change how they feel or behave. Many of my clients are expats who are experiencing a kind of identity crisis, loneliness, or difficulty connecting, and Compassionate Inquiry helps them see how their early attachment patterns are playing out in their current lives. If you've ever felt like you're repeating the same patterns in relationships, work, or how you treat yourself, Compassionate Inquiry can help you understand why, and begin to shift those patterns at their source.

There's no fixed timeline. Some people work with me for a few months and feel they've gained what they needed. Others stay for a year or longer, particularly if they're working through complex trauma, long-standing relationship patterns, or addiction recovery. Compassionate Inquiry isn't a quick fix. It's deep work, and it takes time to uncover and shift unconscious patterns that have been with you since childhood. That said, many clients notice shifts quite early, sometimes even after the first few sessions. They might notice they're responding differently in situations that used to trigger them, or they feel more connected to themselves. The pace is entirely yours. I don't push you faster than feels safe, and I don't hold you back if you're ready to go deeper. We'll talk regularly about how the work is feeling and what you want to focus on next.

Yes, absolutely. I offer Compassionate Inquiry both in person at my Oslo practice and via Zoom, and the approach works equally well online. In fact, many of my Greater Oslo clients prefer Zoom because it saves them the commute into central Oslo, particularly if they're based in Fornebu, Baerum, or Asker. The intimacy and depth of the work isn't lost over video. If anything, some clients find it easier to be vulnerable when they're in their own space. I make sure the session feels safe, private, and focused. You'll need a quiet space where you won't be interrupted, a good internet connection, and ideally headphones so we can hear each other clearly. Everything else stays the same. The quality of the connection, the depth of the inquiry, and the support I offer are exactly what you'd experience in person.

Yes, very much so. Many of my Compassionate Inquiry clients have done CBT, talk therapy, or other modalities and found them helpful to a point, but felt something was still missing. Compassionate Inquiry goes deeper than most approaches. If you've done therapy that focused on managing symptoms, changing thoughts, or developing coping strategies, Compassionate Inquiry might be the next step. It asks why those symptoms are there in the first place, and what they're trying to protect you from. It's also a good fit if you're someone who intellectualises easily, if you're good at talking about your problems but struggle to actually feel or change them. Compassionate Inquiry brings you back into your body and your emotional truth. If you've done trauma work before, particularly somatic or attachment-focused therapy, you'll likely find it complements what you've already learned. It's not about starting over. It's about going deeper.

I charge a standard session rate for all therapy services, including Compassionate Inquiry. Sessions are 50 minutes. I offer both in-person sessions at my Oslo practice and online sessions via Zoom at the same rate. Payment can be made via invoice or Vipps. If cost is a barrier, let's talk about it in your free consultation. I occasionally have a sliding scale spot available, and I'd rather have an honest conversation than have you not reach out at all. My goal is to make this work accessible to people who genuinely need it, while also sustaining a practice that allows me to do this work well.

The first step is to book a free 20-minute consultation. You can do that using the form on this page, or by calling or emailing me directly. In that conversation, we'll talk about what you're struggling with, what you're hoping therapy might help with, and whether Compassionate Inquiry feels like the right approach for you. There's no pressure to commit. It's a chance for you to ask questions, get a sense of how I work, and decide if we're a good fit. If we are, we'll schedule your first full session. If we're not, I'll do my best to point you toward something that might be a better match. You can book in-person sessions at my Oslo practice or online via Zoom, whichever works better for you.