Areas of Expertise
Addiction Therapy
When someone begins treatment for an addiction, they typically feel scared, ashamed and alone. However, I want to reassure you that therapy is a safe and confidential place where we will work together, so you don’t have to struggle alone anymore. As an experienced Addictions Therapist, I’ve helped many people work through their fears to overcome severe substance, behavioural and sex addictions. I’ve also helped many patients with disordered eating, including binge eating, food addiction, emotional cravings, or unhealthy relationships with food.
During therapy, I enjoy working creatively with people to help them understand how their addiction happened to them and identifying healthy ways of recovery. I focus on developing strategies and techniques that can be used outside therapy sessions so that my patients can function at their best in different environments, whether at home, work, or socialising with friends or elsewhere. Realising what your life can be without addiction is an overwhelming yet positive experience. I believe it’s important to explore your values and understand your purpose in life during the recovery process. I also take a holistic approach to understanding addiction through the mind-body interface, which gives many patients the confidence to cope independently with cravings and intrusive thoughts.
Humanistic Therapy
Humanistic therapy is a highly individualised approach that focuses on your personal potential, free will and self-discovery. Humanistic therapy is suitable for any mental health condition, as it keeps the patient at the centre of therapy and treatment driven by their goals and motivations. This holistic form of therapy allows people to develop a strong sense of self, build on their strengths and find meaning in their lives. I also integrate different theories, techniques, and interventions that support my patients to continue developing skills and setting goals after therapy.
Emotional Intelligence & Life Purpose
Have you ever wondered why you are here? Or what your purpose in life is? Many patients come to therapy seeking a deeper understanding of their true, authentic self. As a therapist specialising in spirituality, I feel it’s a privilege to help people establish their sense of identity and find meaning so they can live a more fulfilling life. Reflecting on the things that are important to you helps you live according to your values and understand who you truly are. Focusing on exploring your inner self and developing self-awareness is an incredibly powerful tool that can improve your mental wellbeing and increase your emotional intelligence, both now and in the long term.
My approach to therapy and treatment
It's understandable to feel nervous about asking for help, and I want to reassure you that the first step is often the most challenging. I aim to provide a warm, safe and supportive therapy environment where you can explore your feelings without fear of judgement.
As a therapist, I practice a holistic and empowering approach, and I’m passionate about improving your overall well-being and personal growth. I believe that it’s important to listen carefully to your perspective so that I can develop a treatment plan that helps you to better cope with challenging life situations and reach your potential. I’m certified in several psychotherapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Positive Psychology, and Humanistic Therapy. My extensive training means I can tailor therapy for each patient to create a personalised treatment plan according to your unique needs and preferences.
First and foremost, I want you to know that we will work together at your own pace. In the first consultation, I will usually ask you about any issues that are troubling you, how long these issues have been going on, and how they might be impacting your life. Understanding the nature of problems will help me to identify potential support structures and identify how best to help you. However, there’s no rush to talk about things that make you feel anxious or upset until you feel ready. I believe that it’s crucial that you feel comfortable, safe and supported before we tackle any highly traumatic or distressing topics.
I also find it helpful to explore why you’ve come to therapy now to find out what you imagine the best possible outcome to be—knowing which strategies have worked for you before (and which haven’t) is a crucial aspect of developing your treatment plan. I find this knowledge helps to understand how we can use your strengths to help you and support you in areas that you find more challenging. For some people, their strengths might be using exercise to motivate them, keeping nourished with a healthy diet, having a supportive friendship group or showing excellent self-awareness. Whatever your strengths are, we can work together to bring them out and give you the best chance of recovery.
I work collaboratively with patients to develop their personalised treatment plans so that we consider the potential options and outcomes together. I will also often work alongside other medical professionals to ensure that we treat patients holistically.
Beyond simply treating symptoms, I believe that therapy is an opportunity to explore what brings purpose and meaning to your life. This could involve learning more about your unique mind-body connection or integrating spirituality into therapy. The most rewarding part of being a therapist is helping patients to reconnect with their inner sense of joy, whether that’s through practising gratitude, igniting their sense of humour, building on their values or creating hope for the future.
Medication
I believe that the decision to take medication can often be a difficult one and is not one to be taken lightly. I understand that some of the best outcomes for psychotherapy can be delivered in conjunction with medication, and it's always important for me to collaborate with the patient and medical professional to understand how medication might affect the patient.
Education & Training
I’m an Integrative Psychotherapist professionally registered with The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. I’ve completed extensive training in multiple psychotherapeutic approaches certified by the British Psychological Society. I also hold an MSc in Addiction Psychology and Counselling from London Southbank University and a psychotherapy qualification from Regent’s College, London.
I've been working as a therapist since 2013, during which time I’ve worked at the Priory Wellbeing Centre and Nightingale Hospital in London and trained at the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre. I’ve also worked internationally as an Addiction and Mood Disorder Psychotherapist at specialist addiction treatment units in Ibiza, Spain and Zurich, Switzerland. I’m currently seeing patients in private practice in Harley Street, London.
I completed my qualifications in Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy at Regent’s College London in 2010, after which I completed an MSc in Addiction Psychology and Counselling at London Southbank University in 2015. As part of my Master’s programme, I conducted research into the idea of spiritual intelligence and how it can improve mental health and wellbeing. Spirituality is a distinct concept from religion, which focuses on one’s values, sense of identity and purpose in life. Spirituality encourages people to consider what's truly important to them and the way they interact with other people by reflecting on their thoughts and behaviour. Through my research, I demonstrated that spirituality is a powerful tool that can significantly improve mental health when used in a therapeutic context.
Psychotherapy Certifications:
- Psychological Interventions for Obesity at the National Centre for Eating Disorders (2020).
- Positive Psychology Training at the Positive Psychology Masterclass with Miriam Akhtar (2020).
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) at the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre (2016).
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Skills Training at the British Isles DBT training institute (2016).
- Humanistic Training at London Southbank University (2012)
Personal interests
Outside of work, I enjoy cooking, theatre and attending church. I am a huge lover of anything musical and find that music helps patients to connect to themselves and each other on a profound level. I grew up in the countryside, and this has helped me to appreciate the benefits of nature and fresh air, and I often incorporate these ideas into my practice.
