Charmaine Zahra

I'm an experienced integrative counsellor and psychotherapist also trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy, working with adults who may be experiencing issues related to anxiety, bereavement, depression, anger, abuse (sexual and emotional), family and relationship problems, trauma, PTSD and complex trauma, chronic illnesses, suicidal thoughts, and attachment issues.

We all go through difficult times in life and most of the time we are able to ride the wave on our own or with support from family and friends. However, sometimes the wave can feel bigger than we can handle and we may start feeling like we're going under. That's when we may seek professional help.

As an integrative counsellor and psychotherapist I use a combination of modalities depending on what you need at different times during therapy.

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
• Psychodynamic therapy
• Person-centred therapy
• Integrative
• Internal family systems therapy (IFS)
• I am also trained and experienced in grief therapy.

You might need some support as you go through a rough patch or you might want to bring change to areas in your life that are not working very well. Either way I offer a nurturing space where you can feel at ease and comfortable to explore your thoughts and emotions at your own pace. My main areas of interest are relationship difficulties and developmental trauma, as well as intense emotions which can be quite scary at times, such as anxiety, panic and anger/rage. 

My Approach

I am an integrative counsellor and psychotherapist. This means that I combine various approaches to tailor the treatment to the person's distress and preferences.  

• Trauma-informed modalities
• LGBTQ- affirming
• Registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

I believe that all of the distressing issues you face as a human being are reasonable responses to what has happened to you. Usually what happened is too painful so you lock it away, out of your awareness, and start thinking about the distress as something that is wrong with you instead. And somewhere along the way you may start to feel disconnected or lost.

In therapy we explore what happened to you in a gentle and respectful way, so that we can bring it back into your awareness and reintegrate it. We cannot change what happened to you in the past, but we can make sure that it doesn't impact the present anymore.

I use a collaborative approach which means that the approach I recommend is discussed with you and tweaked accordingly. This is an ongoing process which allows the treatment to be continuously adapted depending on your changing needs.

If you're interested to hear about how this approach might work for you, we can set up a free introductory call to discuss this.