Anastasia Volkova

Psychologist & Coach, Founder of Mental Gym.

I'm Anastasia Volkova, and I work exclusively with legal professionals who are struggling with stress, anxiety, and burnout—because I've seen up close what this profession demands. My partner and brother-in-law are both practicing lawyers. I understand the impossible billable hours, the perfectionism that's never quite perfect enough, the culture where admitting you're struggling feels like admitting weakness. I know that asking for help isn't easy in a profession that rewards invincibility.

That's exactly why I founded Mental Gym—a confidential practice designed specifically for lawyers, at all levels, who need support that understands the reality of legal practice. I work with professionals at Magic Circle firms and global practices who are high-performing but burning out, managing anxiety while maintaining their edge, or simply questioning whether this level of stress is sustainable.

My credentials: MSc in Occupational Health Psychology, Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) certified, HCPC-registered practitioner, and LawCare activist. Published researcher in occupational health.

My approach: Practical, evidence-based, and focused on what actually works in high-pressure environments. No fluff. No judgment. Just strategies that fit into your life—even when your calendar is impossible and you're not sure where you'd find an hour to breathe, let alone talk to someone.

I use evidence-based approaches tailored to what you're dealing with, whether that's managing anxiety before court, breaking cycles of perfectionism, or rebuilding your relationship with work. My methods draw from Compassion Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and Mindfulness, but you don't need to understand the theory for it to work.

I'm a published researcher in occupational health and regularly contribute to workshops and media on mental health in high-pressure professions. But what matters most is this: I've helped lawyers like you move from surviving to actually living.