About me
Welcome To my Counselling Directory Page
Reaching out for support can feel like a difficult step, especially when you have been carrying emotional pain, anxiety, overwhelm, or difficult experiences on your own for a long time.
You may feel exhausted from constantly overthinking, emotionally drained from trying to cope, or stuck in patterns that no longer feel manageable. Sometimes people come to therapy feeling anxious, low, disconnected, overwhelmed, or unsure why they feel the way they do. Others may feel that they have spent so long trying to hold everything together that they no longer know how to slow down or feel safe within themselves.
Whatever has brought you here, you do not have to navigate it alone.
Who I Am
I am Saleha Choudhury, a BACP Accredited integrative counsellor offering therapy in Seven Kings, Ilford, East London, and online across the UK.
As a BACP Accredited counsellor, my professional competence, ethical practice, and clinical work have been independently assessed and recognised to a high standard. Accreditation also reflects my ongoing commitment to supervision, professional development, and providing a safe and effective therapeutic space for clients.
I work with people experiencing trauma, anxiety, emotional overwhelm, panic attacks, low mood, stress, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, burnout, and life transitions. Many of the clients I support struggle with feeling emotionally stuck, constantly on edge, disconnected from themselves, or affected by experiences from the past that continue to impact their present life.
As a Muslim female counsellor, I offer a deeply understanding and culturally sensitive space for clients from all faiths and non-faith backgrounds. I understand how culture, identity, family dynamics, and lived experiences can shape emotional wellbeing, and I aim to create a space where you feel heard, respected, and understood without judgement.
Alongside my professional training, I also bring lived understanding of anxiety and emotional struggle, which has shaped my passion for helping others heal, rebuild resilience, and reconnect with themselves in a compassionate and meaningful way.
My Integrative Approach
My approach is integrative, compassionate, and trauma-informed. I understand that every person’s experiences and emotional needs are different, which is why I tailor therapy to each individual rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.
I draw from a range of therapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy, mindfulness-based approaches, and person-centred therapy.
Alongside talking therapy, I also work in a trauma-informed and body-aware way, recognising how stress, trauma, and emotional experiences can affect both the mind and nervous system.
Where appropriate, I may integrate grounding techniques, emotional regulation work, mindfulness, and EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques or tapping) to support emotional processing and reduce overwhelm.
For many people, this deeper approach can help explain why they may intellectually understand their difficulties, yet still feel emotionally overwhelmed, anxious, shut down, or unable to move forward.
Reassurance
I understand that beginning therapy can feel daunting. You may be wondering whether counselling can really help, or whether you will feel comfortable opening up. My aim is to offer a safe, supportive, and non-judgemental space where we can explore what is happening for you together, at a pace that feels manageable and safe.
Whether you are seeking support for anxiety, trauma, emotional overwhelm, relationship difficulties, or deeper long-standing patterns, therapy can help you develop greater self-understanding, emotional resilience, and a stronger sense of stability within yourself.
You deserve support, understanding, and the opportunity to feel calmer, more connected, and more in control of your life again.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a BACP Accredited counsellor with extensive academic and professional training in counselling and psychotherapy. I am committed to ongoing professional development so that I can continue offering safe, ethical, and effective support tailored to each client’s individual needs.
I am currently undertaking a Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma in Trauma Therapy, further deepening my knowledge and understanding of trauma-informed practice, nervous system regulation, attachment, and body-based therapeutic approaches.
I have also completed Level 1 and Level 2 training in EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques or tapping), which I integrate into my work where appropriate to support emotional regulation, trauma processing, and reducing emotional overwhelm.
Qualifications
Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma in Trauma Therapy (currently studying)
Level 5 Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), including ACT, Mindfulness, Schema Therapy, ADHD-informed approaches, and OCD support
Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
BA (Hons) English Literature and Arabic
Level 3 Award in Education and Training
Additional Specialist Training
I have completed additional professional training in areas including:
Trauma and PTSD
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Attachment and relational trauma
Emotional regulation and calming the anxious brain
Anxiety, panic, and rumination
Depression and low mood
Shame and self-worth
Grief, bereavement, and pregnancy loss
Self-harm and suicidal ideation awareness
Anger and emotional expression
Codependency and relationship dynamics
ADHD-informed therapeutic approaches
Mindfulness and neuroscience-based anxiety support
Counsellor resilience and reflective practice
Professional Experience
I have experience supporting clients from diverse cultural, religious, and social backgrounds with a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties.
My work includes supporting clients experiencing trauma, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, emotional overwhelm, burnout, grief, relationship difficulties, and life transitions.
Some of my professional experience includes:
Volunteering with a pregnancy and baby loss charity in the City of London, supporting clients through grief, trauma, and emotional loss.
Supporting a Black and Minority Ethnic organisation in East London, working with clients experiencing trauma, anxiety, depression, self-harm, and relationship breakdowns
As a Muslim counsellor working within diverse communities, I understand how cultural expectations, identity, family dynamics, and lived experiences can affect emotional wellbeing and mental health.
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.
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
Difficulties I Support With
Many people come to therapy feeling emotionally exhausted from constantly coping alone. They may struggle with overwhelming thoughts, panic, emotional shutdown, self-doubt, relationship difficulties, or feeling disconnected from themselves and others.
Together, we work to understand these patterns with compassion rather than judgement.
I support clients with a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties, including:
Trauma and unresolved past experiences
Anxiety and chronic worry
Panic attacks and emotional overwhelm
Depression and low mood
Stress and burnout
Low self-esteem and confidence difficulties
Relationship and attachment difficulties
Grief and bereavement
Cultural and identity-related challenges
Life transitions and emotional uncertainty
Emotional dysregulation and nervous system overwhelm
How Therapy Can Help
Therapy can help you better understand emotional patterns, develop healthier coping strategies, improve emotional regulation, and build greater self-awareness and resilience.
Some clients seek support for a current difficulty such as anxiety, panic attacks, low mood, stress, or relationship issues, while others wish to explore deeper emotional patterns linked to trauma, attachment, identity, or past experiences.
Together, we work at a pace that feels safe and manageable for you.
Therapeutic Approaches Used
My work is integrative and trauma-informed, meaning I tailor therapy to your individual needs rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.
Depending on your needs, I may integrate:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Schema Therapy
Person-centred therapy
Mindfulness-based approaches
Trauma-informed counselling
EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques or tapping)
Nervous system regulation and grounding techniques
My style is warm, collaborative, and practical. I do not simply sit back and listen. I actively work alongside you, helping you develop practical tools and healthier ways of coping that support you both inside and outside of therapy sessions.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£60.00 - £70.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
- £0 Initial consultation by phone.
- £60 (Discounted) Daytime Individual counselling sessions by video or face to face
- £70 Eco Therapy (Walk and talk in the park)
- £70 Evening Individual Counselling sessions by video or face to face
When I work
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Further information
In-Person and Online Sessions
I offer in-person counselling from a private and confidential therapy room in Seven Kings, Ilford (IG3), located approximately five minutes from Seven Kings station, with free nearby parking available.
Clients attend from across East London and surrounding areas including Chadwell Heath, Romford, Manor Park, Forest Gate, Stratford, Whitechapel, Plaistow, Barking, East Ham, and beyond.
I also provide online counselling across the UK, making therapy accessible wherever you are based.
What to Expect
I believe therapy should feel supportive, collaborative, and emotionally safe.
Every person’s experiences, personality, and emotional needs are unique. Some people benefit from structured approaches that help them understand patterns of thinking and behaviour, while others need space to process emotional experiences more deeply. Many clients benefit from a combination of both.
My aim is to create a space where you feel listened to, accepted without judgement, and supported in exploring your experiences safely and openly.
Getting Started
Taking the first step into therapy can feel overwhelming, especially if you are used to carrying things on your own or have struggled to feel understood in the past.
I offer a free initial telephone consultation, giving us the opportunity to briefly discuss what has brought you to therapy, explore how I work, and see whether we feel comfortable working together.
Your first session is a safe and supportive space where we can begin to explore your experiences, difficulties, and goals at a pace that feels manageable for you.
Therapy is not about endlessly talking about problems. It is about creating meaningful understanding, emotional safety, and lasting change.
Final Reassurance
You do not have to have everything figured out before starting therapy. Sometimes the first step is simply allowing yourself the space to be supported.
My aim is to help you feel emotionally safe, supported, and understood throughout the therapeutic process. Together, we can work towards greater emotional balance, resilience, self-understanding, and a stronger sense of connection with yourself and your life.
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