Nadja Zivkovic
Clinical Director for Europe
SupportRoom is a workplace wellness app with one simple mission: to make employee wellness a reality for every member of the your workforce.
Q&A for Therapists and Coaches
SupportRoom is a workplace wellness app with one simple mission: to make employee wellness a reality for every member of the your workforce.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m based in Belgrade, Serbia, though my professional path has taken me through France and the UK, where I completed my training and became a UK-qualified counsellor. My background as an expat has naturally shaped the kind of clients I work with — many of them are expats themselves, or second-generation individuals from the Balkan region who grew up abroad and have returned, either temporarily or for good.
This unique intersection of cultures often brings with it a rich — and sometimes complex — blend of challenges. I frequently support clients navigating cross-cultural identity, imposter syndrome, high-functioning anxiety, or that quiet, lingering feeling of not fully belonging anywhere. But I also work with deeper, more clinical concerns like trauma, depression, personality disorders, PTSD, OCD, and phobias.
My role is to help clients make sense of their inner world while holding space for the cultural layers that shape who they are. Whether they’re unpacking childhood experiences or navigating the pressures of life abroad, I offer a compassionate and grounded space for growth and healing.
How long did your education and training take — and what did your path to this profession look like?
(Feel free to include both formal studies and life experiences that shaped your journey.)
My journey into this profession has been both structured and deeply personal — shaped not just by my formal training, but also by the people I’ve met and the experiences that shaped me along the way.
I started by studying psychology in Paris, where I spent three years immersed in theory, research, and clinical foundations. It was during my final year — while volunteering in a psychiatric hospital — that things really clicked for me. I realised that supporting mental health wasn’t just something I was interested in; it was what I was meant to do. That experience was both humbling and transformative, and it helped me understand how much of therapy is about presence, empathy, and showing up for another person when they need it most.
After that, the next natural step was to move into applied work, so I pursued a two-year Master’s in Integrative Counselling. That’s when I encountered therapy from the client’s side for the first time — an experience that made me a more grounded, compassionate practitioner. I kept volunteering with adults and adolescents during this time and became more intentional about who I wanted to be, not just as a therapist, but as a human being.
Early on, I started exploring online therapy — back when sessions were mostly done over Skype and not yet considered mainstream. When COVID hit, I formalised that path, completing a one-year certification in online therapy, because I truly believed — and still believe — that this is the future of our profession. It allowed me to work across borders, reach people who otherwise wouldn’t seek help, and bring therapy into the everyday lives of clients. That passion for digital mental health led me to teach the online therapy course myself for about two years.
Most recently, I completed a one-year training to become an online clinical supervisor, which has added another layer of depth to my work — supporting other therapists as they navigate their own professional paths.
So altogether, my formal training spanned around 7 years — 3 in psychology, 2 in counselling, 1 in online therapy, and 1 in online supervision — but the learning, as we know, never really stops.
How would you describe your general approach when working with people?
I’ve been working as a psychologist and counsellor since 2008, both in private practice and in institutional settings. After spending nearly a decade living, studying, and working in Paris and London, I’ve had the chance to connect with people from all over the world — and it’s taught me just how important it is to approach every person with empathy, curiosity, and cultural sensitivity.
Eventually, I felt the pull to return home to Belgrade — I wanted to bring back everything I’d learned and make it count here.
My goal? To create a space where you feel truly seen and heard — a space where you can take a breath, put down the mask, and explore what’s really going on beneath the surface. Whether you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or just not quite yourself lately, we’ll work together to unpack it all, piece by piece.
My therapeutic style is rooted in human connection. I’m deeply influenced by the work of Irvin Yalom, who reminds us that the relationship itself — the honest, compassionate, real encounter between two people — is often the most powerful tool in therapy. I work in an integrative way, meaning I bring together different tools and perspectives depending on what you need most. That might include self-reflection, practical strategies, or simply a safe place to feel your way through uncertainty.
I’m here to support you in building more self-awareness, kinder self-talk, and deeper connections — both with yourself and the people around you. Therapy isn’t about “fixing” you — it’s about understanding yourself better, finding new ways to cope, and learning how to show up for your life in a way that feels more aligned and manageable.
And yes — I’ve fully embraced the world of online therapy. It might not be face-to-face in the traditional sense, but connection, insight, and transformation still happen — screen or no screen. Online therapy has its advantages, and we’re here to use them to your benefit.
Is there a moment with a client (anonymous, of course) that stayed with you?
It is very hard to choose one, every client stays with me in their own way, but here is one. I’ve worked with one client who suffered from a very serious social phobia that impacted their daily life and functioning significantly. On our last session they shared with me their visual representation of our work together. Namely, they saw me as a tall figure dressed in white that held his hand while we were forging path through the dark jungle. They didn’t feel alone or scared as I was there. We arrived at a sunlit clearing, and we can oversee another jungle, but this one they feel confident going into by themselves.
That image has stayed with me ever since — a reminder that therapy isn’t about leading someone out of the jungle but walking beside them until they feel strong enough to face the next one on their own.
What do you do when you're stressed?
I like to travel, walk around places I don’t know or the ones I know well, depending on the level of stress. If I can’t travel, I like to destress with small things like watching something or having a nice relaxing evening with friends. I am active when I am destressing, so I like to tidy up or clean, as I can see the results straight away.
What's one small habit that makes a big difference in your everyday life?
Taking the time to organise my chores and work and crossing them off when done.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give for a lighter, happier life?
Talk about your thoughts, feelings and fears- sharing helps you put the pieces of your puzzle together.
What does being part of SupportRoom mean to you?
(Why is digital support important — or what do you love about this platform?)
SupportRoom has been part of my life for the past four years — not just as a platform I work with, but as a space where I’ve grown, contributed, and connected with something I truly believe in.
What drew me in, and continues to inspire me, is SupportRoom’s mission to make mental health support more accessible, stigma-free, and integrated into everyday life. We’re not just waiting for people to reach a breaking point — we’re creating digital spaces where they can check in, reflect, reach out, and feel supported on their terms, in real time.
I’m incredibly proud to be part of something that’s reshaping the way therapy is delivered — blending human connection with technology to meet people where they are. The platform offers tools like mood tracking, self-help content, direct messaging, and data insights — but more than that, it’s built around empathy, flexibility, and respect for people’s unique experiences.
For me, SupportRoom represents the future of mental health — one that’s proactive, inclusive, and global. Being part of this journey has meant having the chance to support clients from all over the world, collaborate with forward-thinking professionals, and contribute to a culture that values both innovation and compassion.
It’s not just about digital support — it’s about building a new kind of therapeutic relationship, one that adapts to our changing world without losing its human heart. And that’s something I’m truly honoured to be part of.
And now, just for fun:
- Do people assume you can read their minds? Oh yes! All the time! And it either intrigues people or freaks them out!
- Do friends ask for advice even when you’re off the clock? Of course! I sometimes have couples too!
- Have you ever argued with your partner… and later realised they were kind of right? 😄 Hard to admit but yes… It happens to the best of us!