Sherry Singh Panchal


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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
It can be daunting and confusing to look for the right therapist. When we need to speak with someone, a list of profiles is the last thing we need to face. If you are looking at this profile now, the best I can assure you is that you will be offered a free initial meeting with me to decide whether you feel comfortable to work with me. I feel that the counsellor – client relationship is the most important part of therapy as it is the client who will know what is best for them.
I am a person-centred counsellor, though my training has been in dialogue with a psychodynamic perspective. That means that my clients are at the centre of the work, where I help facilitate the necessary conditions for my clients to feel safe, held, supported and begin to think about their inner world. Yet at the same time, I might use the understanding gained from client’s early relationships to help support their process. My style of work is non directive, means I do not take an expert position in the therapeutic relationship and work alongside my clients. My way to help support my clients is client led, as I feel they are the experts on their lives.
I have worked as a counsellor since 2005. I am a fully qualified, accredited and registered counsellor/therapist and hold a Masters Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy from the University of Edinburgh. I am accredited and registered with the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy), am a qualified supervisor for counsellors and therapists and also a trainer in the same field. I work in private practice, both as a counsellor and supervisor in Edinburgh, Scotland and am located in the city centre.
I am deeply interested to understand the reasons behind the issues clients present with and endeavour to understand how people might relate to themselves and the world around them, what their early experiences might have been. I work with sensitivity and care as my clients explore their difficulties with me.
I work with both men and women from different ethnicities and am aware of and sensitive to issues of gender, race, ethnicity, cultural differences and the social contructs. I am aware of how these differences can impact the overall well-being of an individual and their personal circumstances. I can offer counselling in English, Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi.
Apart from my core training in counselling qualifications, I have also acquired basic training in Motivational Interviewing techniques, CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) and Coaching. I am able to use them if needed in order to assist my clients’ exploration in therapy, however, the client’s needs and choice takes priority. Additionally, prior to having trained as a counsellor, I have worked in the Voluntary Sector in a supporting capacity from 2005 and continue to be present in supporting work for a more equitable and balanced society for individuals. Working for the betterment of individuals and offering a facilitative environment to empower is at the core of my practice.
My experience of working and versatility of knowledge over the years thus gives me a capacity to work with a range of issues such as anxiety, depression, stress, bereavement, self-esteem, loss and bereavement, domestic abuse, childhood sexual abuse, sexual abuse, childhood trauma, PTSD, Trauma, relationships, coping with long term illness. This list is of course not finite. As humans we are complex and so are our experiences. There are many reasons why a client would like to speak to a counsellor, thus my way to engage with client, by being interested about their inner world, gives me the ability to work with more than the above mentioned.
The ways in which I can work are:
A counsellor/therapist, short term, focussing on specific issues which are more goal orientated.
A counsellor/therapist, long term work, looking at the more deeper issues of an underlying or presenting issue.
As a supervisor/mentor for students undertaking counselling training.
As a supervisor for organisational managers or staff.
For further information, a confidential discussion or to book an appointment, please e-mail me via the Counselling Directory contacts page.
Training, qualifications & experience
Training and experience:
Post Graduate Certificate in Counselling (COSCA Accredited) - University of Edinburgh – 2007
Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling (COSCA Accredited) - University of Edinburgh – 2010
Masters in Counselling and Psychotherapy – University of Edinburgh – 2011
BACP Registered
BACP Accredited
COSCA Accredited Diploma in Supervsison - 2021
As a therapist I have worked with various organisations/projects such as:
Health In Mind (Edinburgh)
Resolve (Edinburgh)
The Rivers Centre (NHS Lothian, Edinburgh)
Future Pathways (Edinburgh)
HELP (EAP)
Wellness International (Occupational Health Service)
This has widened my capacity to work with various clients and their presenting issues. I have also worked as a Crisis Counsellor for the enquiry committee run by the Scottish Government for their investigations into child abuse.
In addition to offering counselling/therapy to individuals, I currently work with and educational Institute in the capacity of a trainer and mentor.
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
I have experience in working with issues of ambivalence, stress, anxiety etc related to parenting and parental roles.
I also offer counselling to individuals who are considering a lifestyle change, losing weight or making dietary changes in their lives. It is geared towards those who are required by expert advice (for example a medical practitioner) or by personal choice to change their lifestyle due to health concerns such as a heart condition, diabetes, gestational diabetes, obesity or any other health issue that may require one to change their lifestyle for the betterment of their overall well-being.
Therapies offered
Fees
£60.00 per session
Free initial online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I charge my clients £60/hour but am mindful that for some this may not be possible and am open to discussing a sliding scale.
When I work
My availability changes according to client work load. I would encourage you to get in touch and we can to discuss my availability to match your requirements.