Dr Melania

Prof Dr Melania Duca

Psychotherapist

“A highly qualified Consultant Psychotherapist with several years of experience both as a clinician and in behavioural science research.”

About Me

As an integrative psychotherapist, I combine years of clinical practice with insights from behavioural science research. I help individuals understand complex patterns and find tailored ways forward. Our sessions explore what truly resonates, ensuring the approach is uniquely suited to your needs. Clients seeking a deeply informed, adaptable space to address their challenges often find a strong connection. Here, we can thoughtfully collaborate on your path.

Approach

Drawing from an integrative, research-informed stance, my work focuses on how we uncover patterns and experiment with alternatives in a way that fits you. Based in County Down, I offer sessions in English and Italian, both in-person and online, and keep the pace collaborative and attentive to safety. Sessions blend focused formulation, reflective conversation and practical experiments, with clear summaries and occasional objective feedback to track progress between meetings. People seeking an evidence-attuned, adaptable space often find this approach helps them feel clearer and more able to act.
Contact Dr Melania

Ask a quick question or arrange a time to meet.

Basic Information

In-person & Online

Services

Services Offered:

  • Psycho-Legal

    Psychological assessment and expert reporting for court proceedings, legal disputes, or regulatory matters.

  • Psych & Diagnostic Assessment

    Formal psychological testing to identify conditions, understand cognitive and emotional functioning, and guide treatment planning.

  • Biofeedback

    A technique that uses sensors to show you real-time data about your body's responses (heart rate, muscle tension, breathing) so you can learn to regulate them.

    Learn more about Biofeedback
  • Clinical Supervision

    Professional oversight and reflective practice for clinical practitioners, ensuring quality of care and supporting ongoing development.

  • Consultation

    An initial meeting with a therapist to discuss concerns, ask questions, and determine whether they are the right fit.

  • Dream Analysis

    A technique that explores the themes, symbols, and emotions in dreams to uncover unconscious thoughts and unresolved feelings.

    Learn more about Dream Analysis
  • Relationship Counseling

    Counselling for couples or partners focused on improving communication, rebuilding trust, and strengthening emotional connection.

  • Outpatient Services

    Mental health treatment attended during the day without hospital admission, including therapy sessions and psychiatric appointments.

  • Psychodynamic Therapy

    A therapy that explores how past experiences and unconscious patterns shape current feelings, relationships, and behaviour.

    Learn more about Psychodynamic Therapy

Works With:

  • Adults
  • Couples
  • Families
  • Organisations

Area of Expertise

Scope of Practice:

  • Anxiety

    Persistent worry, nervousness, or fear that is disproportionate to the situation and interferes with daily functioning.

    Learn more about Anxiety
  • Behaviour or Conduct Issues

    Persistent patterns of defiant, aggressive, or rule-breaking behaviour in children or adolescents that significantly disrupt home, school, or social life.

  • Family Issues

    Difficulties within the family system, including conflict, communication breakdown, blended family tensions, or intergenerational patterns, that affect individual and collective well-being.

  • LGBTQI+ Support

    The unique psychological experiences of LGBTQI+ individuals, including identity exploration, coming out, discrimination, minority stress, and relationship dynamics.

  • Identity Issues

    A person's sense of who they are, including their values, beliefs, roles, and self-perception, and the distress that arises when this sense is unclear, fragmented, or negative.

  • Online Therapy

    Therapy sessions conducted over video call, phone, or secure messaging, using the same professional methods delivered remotely.

    Learn more about Online Therapy
  • Performance

    The psychological factors (confidence, focus, pressure management) that influence how well a person performs in sport, academics, the arts, or work.

    Learn more about Performance
  • Personality Difficulties

    Long-standing patterns of thinking, feeling, and relating to others that cause persistent distress or problems in relationships and daily life.

  • Relationship Issues

    Difficulties in romantic relationships, including communication problems, trust breakdowns, conflict patterns, or uncertainty about the relationship's future.

    Learn more about Relationship Issues
  • Trauma

    The lasting psychological impact of deeply distressing events, such as violence, abuse, accidents, or disasters, that overwhelm a person's ability to cope.

    Learn more about Trauma

Professional Title:

  • Psychotherapist

    A professional trained to provide in-depth therapy that explores patterns in thoughts, emotions, and relationships to produce lasting change.

Credentials

Registrations

National Council of Psychotherapists

Psychotherapy, Biopsychoanalysis

Qualifications

Master's degree in Philosophical Sciences (Psychology Curriculum)

University of Salento

Year: 2011

Doctor of Philosophy in History of Science (Forensic Medicine)

University of Bari

Year: 2015

Certificates of completion of specialist training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy and Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy

CPD

Year: 2017

Expert Witness Certificate in Criminal Law Proceedings (CUBS)

Cardiff University-Bond Solon

Year: 2021

Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Psychiatry

University of South Wales

Year: 2022

Service Areas

Orthoderm Private Medical Clinic

In-person & Online

Hillsborough

County Down, Northern Ireland

United Kingdom

Hillsborough, County Down, United Kingdom