About me
Welcome to AlHaqiqa Counselling & Psychotherapy.
I understand that reaching out for support can feel like a big step. My aim is to provide a safe, confidential, and non-judgemental space where you can explore your thoughts and emotions at your own pace. Whether you are experiencing anxiety, stress, depression, grief, trauma, relationship difficulties, or life transitions, therapy can help you better understand your experiences and move towards positive change.
I am Gulsan Abubakar Karbani, a PNCPS Accredited counsellor and psychotherapist with over 40 years of professional experience. My background includes 35 years working within the NHS as a Principal Genetic Counsellor, alongside many years of supporting individuals, couples, and families through therapeutic counselling.
I use an integrative approach, tailoring therapy to each person's unique needs. Depending on your circumstances, this may include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Person-Centred Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Narrative Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Compassion-Focused Therapy.
Sessions are available in person in Didcot, Oxfordshire, as well as online throughout the UK. I also offer multilingual support in English, Arabic, Urdu, Gujarati, Hindi, and Punjabi, helping clients feel comfortable expressing themselves in the language they know best.
If you are considering therapy and would like to discuss how I may be able to support you, I offer a free 15-minute initial consultation to answer your questions and help you decide whether we are the right fit to work together.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am an experienced Counsellor and Healing Psychotherapist with over 37 years of professional experience supporting individuals, couples, and families across the UK and internationally. With an extensive background in mental health, emotional wellbeing, and culturally sensitive counselling, I currently work in private practice at ALHAQIQA and provide online therapy. My approach is ethical and patient-centred, with a strong foundation in psychodynamic and trauma-informed methods.
Professional Experience
Counsellor & Healing Psychotherapist – Private Practice (2022 – Present)
Alhaqiqa | UK & Online: http://www.alhaqiqa.uk
- Provide individual and couples counselling for mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Support patients experiencing anxiety, panic, depression, trauma, grief, chronic stress, identity challenges, and relationship difficulties
- Deliver both single-session therapy and long-term therapeutic work, based on patient’s needs
- Integrate psychodynamic, CBT-informed, and trauma-aware therapeutic approaches
- Offer transculturally sensitive and faith-aware counselling where appropriate.
Online Therapist (2022 – Present)
- Provide remote counselling to an international client population
- Work with anxiety disorders, depression, intrusive thoughts, burnout, trauma, and bereavement
- Adapt therapeutic approaches effectively for online delivery while maintaining ethical and professional standards.
Senior Principal Counsellor / Clinical & Academic Roles (1987 – 2022)
UK NHS & International Healthcare Institutions
- Over three decades of clinical counselling experience within healthcare settings
- Provided psychological and emotional support to individuals and families facing complex health-related stress, genetics, prenatal feto-maternal medicine, crisis, and trauma
- Extensive experience in grief, loss, ethical decision-making, and long-term adjustment
- Supervised, mentored, and trained counsellors, clinicians, and postgraduate students
- Delivered teaching, supervision, mentoring, and professional development in counselling and psychological care
Education & Professional Training
- Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling – Leeds Metropolitan University
- Advanced clinical training in counselling and psychological care
- Ongoing doctoral-level research in patient meaning-making and cultural perspectives in therapy
Professional Membership & Ethics
- Accredited Member – National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS)
MNCPS (Accred) | Membership No: NCS22-02693 - Practice adheres to UK ethical codes, confidentiality, safeguarding, and professional standards
- BAATN/ MCAPN/SMBF
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 National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations. In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
- Pregnancy loss
- Post and prenatal diagnosis
- Postnatal depression.
- Healing psychotherapy
- Meditation and spirituality
- Anxiety and panic disorders
- Chronic stress and burnout
- Depression and mood difficulties
- Trauma, loss, and bereavement
- Intrusive thoughts and emotional regulation
- Relationship and couples counselling
- Domestic and relational conflict
- Identity, cultural, and migration-related issues
- Compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma
Therapies offered
Fees
£60.00 - £90.00
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
Standard Rates
- £70 for a 45minute online session
- Discounted to £65 per session when booked in blocks of four
- Couple session is £105 for each.
- Discounted to £100 per session when booked in blocks of four
- Secure payment via Stripe online or by major debit and credit cards
Concession & Special Rates
I believe therapy should be accessible. I offer a limited number of £45 sessions for people on low incomes, including students and those who are unemployed. This reduced rate is payable in advance in blocks of four sessions.
Free 15-Minute Consultation
If you’d like a quick chat, please click here:
- Lunchtime Slot: 12:30pm (Monday-Friday)
- Evening Slot: 6:30pm (Monday-Friday)
- Take the First Step – Schedule Your Free Consultation Today
You’re welcome to book a free 15minute conversation, a chance to ask questions and get a sense of whether we’re a good fit, with no pressure at all.
Further information
Working in my Private Practice for last 3 years.
Testimonials
Here's what some of our previous clients have to say about our services:
"I am blessed to get assisted from Gulsan Abubakar Karbani. She is great at her work and supportive. Thanks Gulsan!!!"
"Gulsan is a professional therapist who knows the needs of her client very well and offers effective strategies to deal with issues that the client has been struggling with. She is also very warm, friendly, and approachable. I highly recommend her!"
"Gulsan is so kind and supportive. She always takes the time to listen to me and provides me with thoughtful and practical advice that is easy to follow. Her encouragement and guidance have been truly valuable to me."
"Gulsan is a great therapist, who is the epitome of kindness. She listens gently and sympathetically and offers sound advice to help find a way through difficult situations. I am very grateful for her kindness, support and help."
"I really enjoy talking to Gulsan, she is very supportive, listens carefully and then gives clear practical steps to follow in each session. I am thankful that she is my therapist and I look forward to her sessions. Thanks."
"Gulsan is the most kind, supportive and empathetic person and an amazing therapist. I truly never felt judged by her and noticed a significant positive influence on my self-confidence after each session. Wholeheartedly recommend. Thank you, Gulsan!"
"Gulsan is a very kind and supportive person. She is a great listener, and I have never once felt judged or not accepted. I warmly recommend her. Thank you, Gulsan!"
"My experience has been life changing. I started therapy for the death of a loved one and there have been topics and trauma well outside of grief that we have continued to tackle. I have gained an appreciation for self-love from therapy. The questions Dr Gulsan asks to drive the session and help me make connections. She has brought me so much confidence in myself during times I struggled to find it. Her demeanor and empathy have always made me feel safe and welcomed. Dr Gulsan has made me feel very comfortable. I feel like I’m speaking to someone who truly cares. I really feel connected to her and I feel that she has been such a benefit to my life. I have learned new coping skills and ways to help myself through issues. I loved my counselling experience and I have been able to work through much of my past issues with depression and anxiety."
"Dr. Gulsan is very kind, insightful, and caring. She offers helpful strategies and advice to help make the necessary change. My experience with her was nothing but positive."
"She is a wonderful soul."
"Gulsan has been a really great help to me. Giving me many things to think about and helping me correct negative thinking, giving me practical advice to improve the quality of my life. I would definitely work with her again."
"I highly recommend Gulsan. She was a good listener, kind, attentive and understanding. She made very helpful suggestions. And was listening with high attention to everything I had to say. Provides kind and helpful guidance."
"I entered this whole process skeptically, not knowing what to expect with online counselling. But working with Gulsan has been really excellent. She gave me hope, helped me see myself in a better light, and continues to encourage me and spur me on. I'm so grateful to her and continue to work with her."
"I am very grateful to have Gulsan as my therapist. She is very patient, kind and listens carefully and gives suggestions, advice and practical exercises to help reduce my anxiety and depression. The journey has been very smooth. I found myself becoming more positive, starting to take care of myself. I have become less anxious. Thanks for connecting me with Gulsan. I would really like to continue with Gulsan in the future as well."
"Gulsan has been very helpful and has offered great support throughout my journey so far. She is very experienced and offers mature ways of dealing with problems and issues. With her help, I have managed to see things in a more positive light. I highly recommend her!"
"Gulsan was very kind and supportive in her approach. She offered some mature perspectives on the situations we were discussing, which I found very helpful. She also offered tools for dealing with situations in the moment. I appreciate a lot what I learnt with her."
"I was quite skeptical about trying online therapy, however my experience with Gulsan has been a very positive one. She was always professional and friendly and really understood my issues that I was communicating with her. She had matured perspectives, always raised me up and offered support. When I tried her tactics, they worked like magic. I am grateful and I recommend her to anyone who fits into her specialties as stated on her profile. Madam Gulsan, you’re amazing! I am grateful
