Rafal Burchard is a multidisciplinary professional with a career spanning martial arts, fire investigation, counselling, and leadership. His diverse interests have led him on a lifelong journey to explore the complexities of the mind and the factors that drive human behaviour.

Rafal holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology of Culture from Maria Curie-Skłodowska University. He has further enhanced his academic and professional credentials with a Level 5 Service for Justice qualification, a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), a Diploma in Hypnotherapy, and an Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling. His commitment to professional development includes specialised training in fire inv Rafal Burchard is a multidisciplinary professional with a career spanning martial arts, fire investigation, counselling, and leadership. His diverse interests have led him on a lifelong journey to explore the complexities of the mind and the factors that drive human behaviour.

Rafal holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology of Culture from Maria Curie-Skłodowska University. He has further enhanced his academic and professional credentials with a Level 5 Service for Justice qualification, a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), a Diploma in Hypnotherapy, and an Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling. His commitment to professional development includes specialised training in fire investigation and various instructor qualifications from the fire service.

Rafal began his martial arts journey in 1990, studying Karate Kyokushin, where he achieved a 3rd Dan ranking. He has led numerous Karate and self-defence classes and has been giving private lessons since 2006. Throughout his martial arts career, he has participated in multiple tournaments in both Kata and Kumite, notably securing 2nd place in the Kyokushin-Kan Karate-Do "Baltic Cup" in 2005. In 2003, he established the Bushido School in Lublin, becoming the first in the region to teach Ken-Do and Free Running. Over the years, Rafal has also explored other martial arts systems, including Judo, Aikido, Shoulin Chi-Na, and Jeet Kune Do. He helped organise Violence De-escalation and Self-Defence training seminars with Rory Miller in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 2008 to 2014. Since 2008, Rafal has been developing The Elements System, with a focus on self-defence in contemporary contexts.

Throughout his career, Rafal has held various responsibilities, including emergency response, training and employee development, and conducting fire investigations. He is recognised for his ability to integrate an understanding of human behaviour into fire scene analysis, enhancing both the technical and psychological aspects of investigations.

In addition to his work in fire service, Rafal operates a private counselling and hypnotherapy practice, Free Your Mind Therapy, serving clients in Edinburgh and Galashiels since 2015. He specialises in trauma recovery, supporting survivors of abuse and domestic violence, and helping clients build their self-confidence and self-esteem.

Analytical thinking, a fact-based approach, and a deep commitment to personal and professional growth mark Rafal’s work. He is known for his ability to connect psychological insights with practical problem-solving, whether in fire investigation or therapeutic settings. Client testimonials highlight his empathy, effectiveness, and skill in fostering positive, lasting change. ...more

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Average rating: 4.96 · 25 ratings · 1 review · 38 distinct works • Similar authors

	Cold Bore: The Volunteer 4.67 avg rating — 3 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Modern Martial Arts: The Elements it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	My Journey Karate Kyokushin: Karate as a Way of Life: Discipline, Growth, and Inner Strength (Marial Arts, Self Defence Book 1) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Element, A Modern Approach to Practical Self-Defence: Bridging Traditional Martial Arts with Real-World Application (Marial Arts, Self Defence Book 2) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Mastering the Art of Avoiding and Detering Violence:: Non-Physical Self-Defence for Anyone. (Marial Arts, Self Defence Book 3) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ciara's Code: When Code Rewrites Reality it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Mastering the Art of Avoiding and Detering Violence:: Non-Physical Self-Defence for Anyone. it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ciara's Code: The Code Unleashed it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Element, A Modern Approach to Practical Self-Defence: Bridging Traditional Martial Arts with Real-World Application it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	My Journey Karate Kyokushin: Karate as a Way of Life: Discipline, Growth, and Inner Strength it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Rafal Burchard's Blog: Stories Beneath the Surface

Author reflection

Some stories end by closing a door. This one ends by opening one. Not because every question has been resolved. Not because Amber has reached some perfected state beyond fear, grief, memory, or complexity. And not because the world around her has suddenly become simple. It has not. Her mother is still living inside an old structure of endurance. Humanity has not yet answered the challenge placed b Read more of this blog post »

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Published on March 16, 2026 12:17 • Tags: abuse, ai, healing, love, robots, romanse

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Rafal Burchard wrote a new blog post Author reflection Some stories end by closing a door. This one ends by opening one. Not because every question has been resolved. Not because Amber has reached some per Read more of this blog post »
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“The issue is not failed communication. It is coercive control.”
― Rafal Burchard, Only Whether It Was True: A Novel of Trauma, Healing, and Love Beyond the Human

tags: abuse-survivor, ai-romance, coercive-control, domestic-abuse-fiction, emotional-healing, human-robot-relationships, philosophical-fiction, scottish-fiction, speculative-fiction, trauma-and-healing

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“The issue is not failed communication. It is coercive control.”
― Rafal Burchard, Only Whether It Was True: A Novel of Trauma, Healing, and Love Beyond the Human

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