You might know her as the Couture Clinician, or perhaps you’ve stumbled across her on social media and paused, hypnotised by that to-die-for fashion archive. But psychotherapist Alegra Torel seems to understand the power of clothing on a level that slips far beyond what the eye can clock. Here’s why – take notes.

Some problems can be soothed with a touch of retail therapy. Others require a little more heavy lifting – though that doesn’t mean they should feel any less glamorous in spirit or aesthetic. Exploring the relationship between what we wear and how we think, Turkish–British psychotherapist Alegra Torel sits down with Wonderland for a full debrief – unpacking her fashion-forward therapeutic practice, rooted in raw honesty and cultural fluency, all anchored in what she calls the “FU position”: fearless, unfiltered, and fully herself. Keep reading…

Growing up between Turkish and British cultures, how did that duality shape the way you see yourself – and how you show up in the world?
That’s such a loaded question that will take this entire page to answer. Basically, in short, being Turkish-which is really what I feel I am-mean there’s never a simple answer to anything. We have deep rooted 500 year old metaphors that provide mystic answers to the why’s and how’s. The colors that are so powerful in our culture, the design, the presence, the passion, MAN-it’s the legacy left on you. You can’t escape how it appears in every aspect of one’s life (not that you would want to). The passion I’d like to think is evident in how I dress, what I’m speaking up for, the journey-it’s all because of the culture.

Your family’s fashion legacy clearly left an imprint – what’s one vivid memory from your childhood wardrobe that still lives with you today?
My aunt’s style. I don’t know that there was a specific outfit but the feeling I remember experiencing each time I saw her. It was a gasp. She was Sophia Loren before Sophie Loren!

Do you feel more like you’re “becoming yourself” or “remembering who you were” – or both?
It’s a bit of both. With age, depression, and overcoming that hellish ordeal, I became more confident. Or more -unapologetic. That ‘FU mentality’ I talk about in my talks. Where you realize your value and the shortness of life. You sit into your own skin, because no one else can  do that for you. That sense of womanhood that takes over.

You describe fashion as a safe haven – when did you first realise that clothing could speak louder than words?
Day one! It’s the only thing I knew before knowing – ha! Fashion was freedom. I didn’t need the words. Even now I use them to lift others, because we should all be so lucky as to wear what we feel.

Is your maximalist style more armor or more altar – protection or celebration?
I’m still trying to figure that out. Maybe it’s both. Ask me tomorrow.

If your wardrobe could speak, what would it confess that you haven’t yet?
She’s infuckingsane.

How do clients typically respond when they realize the shopping session isn’t just about clothes – but about confronting themselves?
Honestly, lots of hugging.  relief -is the word I hear most often. I really feel like we’ve broken through something. I also think it takes a few days for them to really realize what’s happened.

In what ways does Retail Therapy™️ reveal things that talk therapy often can’t touch?
For that answer, you will have to come to one of my talks!

What’s one purchase a client made that completely transformed the session – and why?
I had a client that refused to wear colour. Even by the end. I bought her a blue top and she cried.

You’ve spoken openly about depression, divorce, and wearing black during your lowest point. How did you begin to find color again – metaphorically and literally?
Time. The irony of depression is that you don’t realize you’re on the way out until it is on the way out.

Can fashion be a spiritual experience? What role does ritual play in how you dress, shop, or even think?
I love this question. Life is a spiritual experience. I don’t believe fashion is a separate entity to my being. We are all one.

Read all about Alegra Torel’s work here.