Payal Kumar

Verified Professional task_alt Verified Professional
Verified Professional

Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.

CPsychol B.A (Hons.) M.Sc Post M.Sc.Dip CounsPsych
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on London SW4 & SW12
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

My Work
I am a Chartered Counselling Psychologist and clinical supervisor based in Clapham/ Balham. I provide psychological therapy to adults experiencing a range emotional and psychological problems such as:

  • Low mood & Depression
  • Post-Natal depression
  • OCD & Perfectionism
  • Anxiety & Panic
  • Social anxiety
  • Relationship difficulties
  • Work place difficulties
  • Low self-confidence
  • Long term health conditions
  • Bereavement
  • Life transitions such as parenthood, divorce, redundancy, relationship difficulties and cultural transitions

I also provide goal focussed interventions for time management and achieving work-life balance.

My Experience
I have over 15 years experience of working in the U.K. and abroad. I have worked with adult, families, children, adolescents and university students, in a range of public, private and voluntary settings such as NHS, education and charities in U.K. and abroad. In addition to my private work, I practice in the NHS doing individual therapy and teaching trainee psychologists.

My Approach
I believe that clients possess the inner resources to bring about change, and attempt to collaboratively uncover these as well as to develop new coping strategies to create a profound difference. I have an empathic, warm, non-judgemental and curious stance and endeavour to provide clients with a safe therapeutic space within which they can move towards their aspirations. I draw on a range of evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Systemic Therapy (incl. Family therapy), Solution Focussed Therapy, and also incorporate principles from Mindfulness and Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT) into her work.

I am sensitive to the many contexts we all belong to. My own inter-cultural experiences of living and working in different countries, being a qualified social worker, a psychologist as well as a clinical supervisor and my personal life transitions of migration, relationships, parenthood, being an employee and a business woman have enabled me to be aware and respectful to the challenges we all face.

I have experience of working with a range of clients from diverse backgrounds such as education, law, medicine, finance, media, journalism, fashion and politics and have a special interest in parental mental health (e.g. pregnancy, becoming a new parent)., long term health conditions (such as chronic fatigue syndrome, physical health problems), workplace stress and the impact of major transitions in life, including redundancy.

Fees and Insurance

I am registered and hence can offer therapy to clients insured with the following:

  • Axa
  • BUPA
  • Aviva
  • WPA
  • Cigna
  • Pru Vitality Health

If you would like to see me using insurance from any of these insurance providers, then please do get in touch by email and I can guide you through the process.

Fees for Self Funded Treatment

I offer an initial 15 minute free of charge telephonic consultation.

Following that the fees for a 50 minute session is as follows:

  • Individual Therapy (face to face): £120/ session
  • Individual therapy (Skype/FaceTime): £120/ session
  • Couples Therapy (face to face): £160/ session
  • Supervision: Trainees £80/ session

Training, qualifications & experience

M.Sc in Counselling Psychology
Post M.Sc Diploma in Counselling Psychology
M.A. in Social Work
Post Qualification consolidation in Social Work

Presently pursuing Post Graduate Diploma in Couples Therapy
Presently pursuing Foundation level accreditation in Systemic Therapy


I am registered with The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), The British Psychological Society (BPS) and I am on the BPS Register of Accredited and Approved Supervisors.

Member organisations

school Registered / Accredited

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.

BPS
British Psychological Society (BPS)

British Psychological Society

HCPC
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

The HCPC are an independent, UK-wide health regulator. They set standards of professional training, performance and conduct for 16 professions.

They keep a register of health professionals who meet their standards, and they take action if registered health professionals fall below those standards. They were created by a piece of legislation called the Health Professions Order 2001.

Registration means that a health professional meets national standards for their professional training, performance and conduct.

Areas of counselling I deal with

Other areas of counselling I deal with

Impact of life transitions such as pregnancy, parenthood, migration, relationship issues, job loss and redundancy on emotional and psychological well-being. I also have a special interest in long term health conditions such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

When I work

Monday 8 AM - 12:00 Noon Wednesday 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM Thursday 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Further information

Languages spoken: English and Hindi

The Awareness Centre, 41 Abbeville Road, London, SW4 9JX

Thurleigh Road GP Practice, 88A Thurleigh Road, London, SW12 8TT

Type of session

In person
Online

Types of client

Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)

Additional languages

English and Hindi

Supervision

In person
Online
Phone

BPS accredited supervisor and on the Register of Approved and Accredited Supervisor list on the BPS.

View supervision profile