Samia Quddus


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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Welcome, I’m Samia. I love what I do. Whether it's exploring emotional histories, gaining greater self-awareness, or navigating life’s challenges, these may be some of the reasons you’re here. Supporting people in gaining a deeper understanding of themselves is a privilege I deeply value and I do this by creating a safe and trusting space.
Over the years, I have had the honour of working with children, young people, and adults from diverse backgrounds, each with unique needs. To provide effective and respectful support, I ensure that all my work incorporates cultural sensitivity and faith awareness. When working with me, you’ll find a genuine, respectful, and compassionate presence, focused on helping you draw upon your inner resourcefulness.
As a fully qualified and accredited integrative therapist, my extensive clinical counselling background includes schools, non-profit organisations and collaborative working with CAMHS and medical mental health specialists. I teach and lecture trainee counsellors as Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) Tutor for Place2Be, alongside my role as School Clinician within state secondary education.
In my private practice, I am interested in addressing issues such as self-esteem, family break-ups, grief, transitions, depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, perfectionism stemming from parental pressures and/ or cultural and societal expectations, academic pressures, not feeling good-enough, generational trauma, emotional abuse, and parent-child relationships, including those involving adult children. This includes situations where parents are loving but have faced challenges in the relationship, such as neglect or parental depression.
What is Counselling?
Counselling is two people, in the same room, focused on one person. A counsellor's full presence and therapeutic techniques enables the person sharing to experience being held and contained. This is a reparative experience, promoting emotional well-being and resilience.
How I Work
Counselling and psychotherapy are not one-size-fits-all approaches. As an integrative therapist, I offer a flexible therapy service by appropriately combining various "modalities" or types of care to tailor counselling to your needs, individually. For children and adolescents, having their emotional states validated and experiencing an empathetic, attentive listener can be deeply healing.
I use psychodynamic and attachment theories to explore the unconscious and understand how past experiences influence the present. I employ CBT to support exploration around thinking. I prioritise a trusting therapist-client relationship, utilising a person-centered approach that embodies empathy and non-judgement, allowing you to feel seen and heard. I consider the systems surrounding a client and ensure all my work employs cultural sensitivity, and faith-awareness. With children and young people, I apply creative play and neuroscience theory to tailor therapy to development.
Steps to Start
Step A: I offer a complimentary telephone consultation to briefly explore why you might be seeking counselling.
Step B: A face-to-face consultation allows us to explore your reasons for seeking therapy, any questions you may have as well as to ensure that both you and I feel comfortable to work together. If I am not the best fit for you, I will recommend someone else. This meeting is 50 minutes and is not a therapeutic session. I charge a standard fee of £70.
Location
I am based in North London, within a 10-15 minute walk from two local Underground stations. Counselling takes place in a comfortable and informal setting. Parking is free after 6.30pm on weekdays. The room is equipped for creative and play therapy.
Training, qualifications & experience
With extensive experience in primary education both nationally and internationally, and as an SEN specialist in social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties (SEBD), I transitioned into the world of counselling and undertook a BACP accredited Postgraduate Diploma training from the University of East London and Place2Be. I am specialised to treat anxiety and anxiety related issues using evidence-based approaches through my certification as a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional (CCATP). As an MBACP Registered Member, I adhere to their ethical framework. I am fully insured and hold an Enhanced DBS check.
I lecture and teach counselling and psychotherapy as Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) Tutor for Place2be, one of the UK’s leading children’s mental health charity underpinned by the University of East London.
Experience
- Private Practice
In my private practice, I provide tailored high-quality counselling to clients of various ages (children, adolescents, sixth form students and adults), experiencing a wide range of emotional problems, whilst observing confidentiality.
- Parent/ Carer Support and Coaching
With over 15 years of experience as a primary school teacher, I offer compassionate parent and carer support and coaching, helping them navigate the emotional needs of their children. I guide parents in developing a deeper understanding of their child's perspective, listening with empathy, and responding in ways that foster emotional growth. My natural ability to connect with parents allows me to support families in addressing a wide range of needs, from neurodiversity to behavioural challenges. Through tailored strategies, I empower parents to build stronger, more positive relationships with their children and create environments that nurture their emotional well-being.
- Primary and Secondary School
As school clinician, I manage and oversee clinical counselling provision at a state secondary school in Waltham Forest supporting pupils with emotional challenges, on occasions in partnership with NHS professionals, Social Services and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Weekly sessions explore client-led issues ranging from anxiety, self-harm, exam pressures, peer issues and parent-child dynamics. In primary school, I work with children across Key Stage 1 and 2 employing creative and play therapeutic practices.
Prior to re-training as a therapist, I gained over 15 years experience in primary education. During this period, I specialised in the Special Educational Needs (SEN) area of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD), understanding children's educational and emotional development.
- Sixth Form
I work with young people transitioning from secondary school to sixth form, and with sixth form students transitioning to University. We work on various issues ranging from anxiety, stress and peer relationships.
- Trainee Counsellors
I work with counsellors-in-training, focusing on self-awareness as a foundational skill for effective practice. We explore thoughts, emotions, and biases, to develop a deeper understanding, which in turn enhances client connectivity. I tailor my approach to the specific training needs of each counsellor-in-training by integrating techniques that align with their training to enhance both their personal therapy and learning experience.
- Counsellor at Nour Domestic Violence (NDV) Non-Profit Women's Support Service
I have therapeutic counselling experience working with South Asian women aged 20 and above supporting them with trauma, abuse and domestic violence-related issues.
Qualifications
- Postgraduate Diploma Level 7 - Counselling Children and Adolescents in Schools - UEL/Place2Be
- Postgraduate Certificate - Social, Emotional and Mental Health - University of Birmingham
Training
- Certificate of completion: Online Therapy Telehealth CPD Training: Moving Your Practice Online
- Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional CCATP
- Certificate of Completion: Islamic Approaches To Psychology and Psychotherapy Level One, Professor Rasjid Skinner, Ihsaan
- An Islamic Approach to the Treatment of OCD, IIDR
- CPD & Certificate of Completion: Neurodiversity in Girls
- Trauma and the Body: Somatisation and Dissociation
- CPD: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Anger Management
- CPD: Enactments & Psychotherapy
- CPD: Short Term Psychodynamic Therapy and Mentalising
- CPD: Building the Bonds of Attachment: Awakening Love in Deeply Traumatised Children, Dr Dan Hughes,
- CPD: Emotionally Regulating Our Students, Dr Karen Treisman
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
Therapies offered
Fees
£50.00 - £70.00
Free initial in-person, telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
50 minute one-to-one counselling sessions. Counselling may be long or short term, though I recommend a minimum of 6 sessions.
When I work
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Further information
Initial Consultation
A free, 15 - 20 minute telephone consultation gives you an opportunity to ask any questions and arrange an assessment.
Adolescents and Adults Assessment:
This is longer, and can take up to 50 minutes either in-person or online via zoom. An assessment consultation is made prior to any counselling work - this is an opportunity to gain a background history and form an understanding of presenting difficulties. In the assessment we explore your reasons for seeking therapy, any questions you may have as well as to ensure that if you decide to go ahead with therapy, you or your family member feel comfortable to work with me.
Working with Parents/ Carers:
I welcome working in partnership with parents/ carers. Once counselling commences, regular consultations ensure that the young client's needs and goals are kept in mind. Discussions can address progress, areas of difficulty and practical strategies to support parents/ carers.