About me
Welcome! Please note that my availability is from July 2026 onwards and I won't be able to offer you immediate counselling. I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause your search.
My name is Ruqaiyyah and I am an Integrative Psychotherapist, specialising especially with Young Adults (18-30), Adolescents (11-18) and Children (4-11) and their families. My work is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves a space where they feel genuinely received, listened to with care, and supported as they navigate their mental health journey. I believe in a facilitation of therapeutic support, coupled with nurturing accountability. My ethos is that change cannot be forced; rather, healing unfolds when we gently engage with the safe space, reflections, tools, and resources that support our growth.
I hold the belief that you are the expert on your own life, not me. My role is to walk alongside you and gently facilitate a process of reconnection with your authentic self, the part of you that existed before life’s experiences, expectations, and challenges may have blurred or reshaped it.
My integrative approach considers the whole person, including their upbringing, cultural background, faith, and life experiences, recognising how these shape identity and influence the way individuals move through the world. I work holistically, acknowledging the deep connection between the mind, body, and soul, and aim to offer therapy that is nurturing, reflective, and restorative. My work incorporates an Integrative blend of person-centred, cognitive-behavioural (CBT), behavioural activation therapies, psychodynamic therapy, attachment-informed therapy, child-centred play therapy, and, where appropriate, Islamic psychology.
Through my work, I am also particularly passionate about supporting families as they navigate the complexities of raising children in today’s rapidly changing world. I recognise that many parents are balancing cultural expectations, generational differences, and their own lived experiences. By fostering a collaborative bridge between parents, caregivers, and younger generations, I aim to support families in building deeper understanding, connection, and confidence in nurturing the wellbeing of their children.
Young adulthood is a time of self‑discovery, but personal experiences and daily challenges can sometimes lead to disconnection, lower-coping resilience, or self‑sabotage. For each individual, our responses to lifes adversities show up differently. Through a compassionate, integrative approach, I support clients in making sense of their experiences, building resilience, and developing healthier coping strategies.
In the same breath, for children and adolescents, lifes adversities can have a profound impact on processing emotions, their sense of self, and impact ones attachment style. 1-1 therapy and child-centred therapy, enables a nurturing environment to process these experiences, build resilience, and develop healthy coping strategies to use as tools to continue to navigate life moving forward.
Early support can make a lasting difference, helping people grow in confidence, regulate emotions, and lay strong foundations for future wellbeing. With a right and genuine therapeutic relationship, I believe anyone can experience healing, strengthen self‑esteem, and build healthier coping mecanisms.
Each area of concern I support is approached with a developmentally-appropriate stance. Depending on the age group of clienteles, I cater my therapeutic approach accordingly to fit the authenticity of the client.
Training, qualifications & experience
It's been 10 years since I stepped foot into the therapeutic field, and I am a qualified, registered Integrative Psychotherapist (MBACP) with a deep passion and love for this line of work.
Qualifications:
- Masters in Integrative Psychotherapy & Counselling for Young Adults, Children & Families (University of Roehampton)
- BA in Therapeutic Psychology (University of Roehampton)
- Level 1 - Islamic Psychology (Al-Balagh Academy)
My work has spanned a range of settings, including education, corporate settings, charities, and local authority services, where I have provided one-to-one and group therapy, crisis support, and wellbeing interventions. Alongside my clinical work, I have contributed to developing counselling services, delivering workshops, and working collaboratively with multi-agency teams to ensure holistic care. I bring a strong commitment to safeguarding, cultural sensitivity, and trauma-informed practice, supported by ongoing professional training in areas such as domestic abuse, neurodiversity, and behavioural de-escalation.
Regularly Engaged with CPD:
- Neurodiversity in the Therapy Room
- Safeguarding and Working with Children and Young People in Schools training
- Safeguarding and Working Therapeutically with Young Adults
- Safeguarding Adults
- Supporting Children & Adults Affected by Domestic Abuse (CADA)
- First-Aid Training
- Team-Teach and De-Escalation Training
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.
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
I also offer support with a range of challenges, including:
- Life transitions, adjustment difficulties, and relocation (including cultural adjustment)
- International student experiences
- University, college, and school-related pressures
- Peer and social pressures
- Feeling disconnected from faith - as a Muslim psychotherapist, I welcome open, non-judgemental exploration of faith-related experiences. I understand that faith can sometimes be linked with difficulty or past trauma, and I aim to hold space for these complexities with care and sensitivity.
- Social skills and difficulties with connection.
Therapies offered
Fees
£35.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I welcome you to request a concessionary rate if the above circumstances apply to you.
Please note that fees are adjusted according to mode of therapy. In-person sessions are £5 more than the listed session prices.
Further information
I offer Psychoeducation sessions for Parents & Caregivers that provides practical guidance, insights, and strategies to better understand and support the emotional wellbeing of children and adolescents.
These sessions are designed to empower families with knowledge and tools to navigate challenges proactively, strengthen relationships, and create a supportive home environment.
