Aleksandra Malanska : Therapist in training

About Aleksandra Malanska

Aleksandra Malanska is a highly experienced Neurodevelopmental Practitioner with over 27 years of expertise supporting autistic children, adolescents, and young adults across educational, community, and clinical settings. She is certified in the gold-standard autism diagnostic tools, the ADI-R and ADOS-2, and has completed postgraduate studies in Autism at the University of Strathclyde. Building on her extensive practice, Aleksandra is currently completing an MSc in Psychology and training to become a BACP-accredited counsellor, bringing together her deep understanding of neurodevelopment with therapeutic expertise.

She is an accredited mindfulness teacher with nearly a decade of personal and professional practice. Her therapeutic approach integrates compassion-focused, acceptance-based and mindfulness-based strategies to help clients build resilience, reduce anxiety, and develop a stronger sense of self.

Alongside her clinical and therapeutic work, Aleksandra is passionate about raising awareness of neurodiversity within mental health and bereavement services. She regularly supports organisations such as Cruse Bereavement and The Listening Space, helping their teams understand autism so that neurodivergent clients are met with greater sensitivity, inclusion, and effective support.

Professional Experience

Aleksandra’s career began in education, where she spent many years as a teacher and SEND specialist. She designed highly individualised, multisensory learning programmes to meet the diverse needs of autistic pupils and led adult learning programmes to empower marginalised learners and improve long-term outcomes. She has also contributed to staff training, curriculum design, and systemic support strategies across educational settings.

In parallel with her educational work, Aleksandra has made significant contributions within the justice system. She currently serves as the Neurodiversity Lead at one of London’s largest prisons. Her role includes comprehensive assessments, including autism, ADHD, sensory processing and trauma-informed needs. She has designed and delivered neurodiversity training for prison staff, completed sensory and environmental audits to create safer spaces, and developed tailored support plans addressing cognitive, emotional, and behavioural needs.

Aleksandra’s professional and academic interests also include the intersection of autism and offending behaviour. She is particularly focused on understanding and preventing non-contact sexual offences among autistic individuals and is preparing to pursue a PhD in this area to contribute to research, safeguarding, and informed clinical practice.

Therapy with Aleksandra

Aleksandra offers an integrative therapeutic approach, drawing on evidence-based models such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and mindfulness-based therapies to support emotional regulation, self-acceptance, and personal growth. She works with children, adolescents, and adults to explore their strengths, build coping skills, and process experiences in a safe and supportive space.

She is also an experienced LEGO®-Based Therapist, using structured play to help autistic young people develop social communication, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. These sessions are carefully designed to build confidence, self-esteem, and positive peer relationships, while also supporting parents and professionals to reinforce these skills at home and in school.

Her work is trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming, and person-centred, with a focus on creating safe, predictable and supportive therapeutic environments. Aleksandra is committed to helping clients understand their neurodevelopmental profile, reduce distress, and develop strategies that work for them and their families.