About me
My name is Farai Chandiwana. I am a BABCP-accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist with over five years of clinical experience within NHS Talking Therapies, the NHS frontline service for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. I specialise in psychological therapy for depression and anxiety disorders.
I care deeply about the quality of psychotherapy people receive. I have seen the difference that good psychological therapy can make, and I believe psychotherapy should aim for more than simply getting through a difficult period. When it is thoughtful, evidence-based, and delivered well, it can lead to clinically meaningful improvements as well as changes that matter in a person's everyday life.
This belief shapes the way I work. I want the therapy I provide to be genuinely helpful; grounded in psychological evidence, responsive to the individual, and focused on creating meaningful and lasting change.
It is this commitment to effective psychotherapy, together with my desire to expand access to high-quality, evidence-based psychological therapy, that led me to establish Fara Practice and offer private support.
Training, qualifications & experience
I hold a BSc (Hons) in Psychology (2:1) from Brunel University London, a Postgraduate Certificate in Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (LICBT) from University College London, and a Postgraduate Diploma in High Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (HICBT) from the University of East Anglia.
I have several years of experience working within NHS mental health services, progressing from mental health recovery work through to Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP), Senior PWP and High Intensity CBT training roles. My experience spans both primary and secondary care, including NHS Talking Therapies, specialist long-term physical health services and a Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team.
My clinical training and experience include the assessment and treatment of depression and a broad range of anxiety-related difficulties, including generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), health anxiety, specific phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). I have also worked extensively with people experiencing psychological difficulties alongside long-term physical health conditions.
My practice is grounded in evidence-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), using disorder-specific cognitive and behavioural models to understand the factors maintaining a person’s difficulties and to develop an individualised treatment plan.
Alongside direct clinical work, I have experience in psychological assessment, risk assessment and management, clinical supervision, multidisciplinary working and supporting trainee clinicians. I have completed additional UCL training in Low Intensity CBT for Long-Term Conditions and clinical supervision.
My professional experience includes roles within Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, Bromley Healthcare, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, and South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust.
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The BABCP is the lead organisation for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in the UK. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in the practice, theory or development of CBT. BABCP also provides accreditation for CBT therapists. BABCP accredited members adhere to the Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics in the Practice of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, and are willing to be scrutinised in this adherence as required.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
£90.00 per session
Additional information
Payment can be made by bank transfer or, for in-person sessions where agreed in advance, by cash. Bank transfer payments are made when booking your session. Where cash payment has been agreed, payment is made at the start of the session. Cancellations can be refunded if cancellation is made with 48 hour notice minimum.
Further information
I offer cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), a type of psychotherapy that helps us explore and understand what may be contributing to our current difficulties. Together, we look at the experiences, thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and deeper beliefs that may be underlying or maintaining distress. From there, we can identify ways to make meaningful changes.
I offer a warm, non-judgemental space where you can feel able to be truly honest about what you are experiencing, including emotions or difficulties that may feel intense, painful, or hard to make sense of. You don’t have to work through these things alone.
