Omar Malas
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Maybe you're here because you feel low, constantly worried, unhappy with some of your pattern behaviours or just fucking frustrated with how things are. You may recognise that you're anxious, depressed, angry, grieving or any other unsettling or uncomfortable state of being but you just don't know what to do with it.
Taking this first step in reaching out isn’t easy, especially if you’ve never been in therapy before. My profile is probably one of many you’ve read and maybe you’ve seen the same things repeated over and over again about how a therapist can help you. I’ve been there myself and it is quite daunting and overwhelming.
I hope to simplify this process for you. I can offer you a free no-commitment intro session just so you can get a flavour of who I am and how this works. Even taking this step has felt good for me in the past, just from sharing what I want help with. It’s telling myself that ‘I need support’ and that first step is massive.
What I hope to do, through building a trusting relationship, is help you find some answers as to why you're feeling this way and gain the tools to be able to bring about those changes. I aim to challenge you in a way that may feel uncomfortable at times. Perhaps there are things you dare not share with partners, friends or family - it is most welcome in this space, no matter what it is.
I have been practising for 4 years now. I have worked with adults in addiction, those finding it difficult to manage their personal and professional relationships, those finding it socially stressful in the post-lockdown world as well as young people in schools whose behaviours at schools are reflecting troubling family dynamics at home. My clients have ranged from 18 – 62 year olds, People of Colour, LGBTQ clients, and those from different socio-economic and religious backgrounds. My clients often present with traumas too and I have experience in holding the space for them when related feelings arise as they work through these and begin to heal and change their relationship to them.
Training, qualifications & experience
My training is in the Person-Centred Model, which is centred around a client-led approach in autonomous empowerment. Basically, I am not here as 'the expert', but trust that you have the ability to reach your positive potential. I feel that it is more empowering that way and I only say this because it felt more empowering learning about myself when I tapped into my own resources, rather than being told what to do or given advice. Advice-giving isn't really my thing if that's what you are seeking. What I can offer is non-judgement and an eagerness to see things from your subjective viewpoint, to really understand what it's like in your shoes. As my training and work has progressed, I have begun to integrate other ideas into my work, such as bodywork, breathwork and even varying the setting of the work to outdoor green spaces - I try to tailor my work to each client's needs and this is discussed with the client at the assessment stage of the work.
I also have experience working with ENM and Polyamory (see link for further details on this: https://www.polyfriendly.org/entry/6712_omar-malas/ )
I am a member of BACP.
I offer both open-ended long term sessions and short to medium term session structures (4,6, 8 or more). These can be tailored to your needs and can be discussed during the assessment.
I have also recently been working in wellbeing, harm reduction and personal crisis management at large events for people having immediate, challenging drug and mental health experiences. The work is relatively short term and often crisis based, but has given me valuable insight into the space that needs to be held for those who, at a precise moment, are going through immense amounts of distress.
Member organisations
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred).
Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision.
Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training.
All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
£40.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I charge a usual flat rate fee of £40, but also have some limited spaces for low-income, unemployed or socially disadvantaged clients. I am aware that counselling can be expensive and this can feel like it excludes many in society and would therefore like to make my services more available for those without the privileges that others have.
Further information
I am currently offering in-person sessions at my practise rooms on Gloucester Road (BS6), online, telephone sessions and I also offer walk and talk therapy sessions (weather dependent). These options can be discussed further during assessment.
