About me
My clinical work is grounded in many years of experience across NHS specialist psychotherapy services, as well as earlier work in the student counselling service at the University of Cambridge, supporting young adults as they navigate the complexities of transitional stages in life. I have also worked in occupational health settings over a number of years, supporting professionals in demanding roles, including clinicians, lawyers, and senior managers.
In addition to my clinical work, I am involved in education and professional development as a lecturer at London universities, a clinical supervisor in psychoanalytic and trauma-informed approaches, and through delivering NHS CPD training. I have also held leadership roles in psychoanalytic organisations, including serving as Head of Pre-Clinical Training at WPF Therapy.
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My therapeutic approach takes a psychodevelopmental perspective on mental life, aiming to integrate past and present experience so that what has gone before does not negatively shape the future, but can instead be understood in a way that supports a more constructive emotional life.
It is particularly suited to people who sense that something in life is not unfolding as they would wish. This may involve recurring patterns in relationships that lead to anxiety, distance, or dissatisfaction, and which can feel more draining than nourishing.
It may also be helpful for people who experience a loss of meaning in their lives, feel alienated from their potential, or are seeking a greater sense of fulfilment.
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In the context of appropriate professional boundaries, respect for my patients is of paramount importance, whilst maintaining an attitude of truthfulness and concern for privacy.
The initial consultation usually lasts up to an hour and a half and may lead to a second meeting of fifty minutes. It provides a setting in which we can think together about what brought you to consider psychotherapy at this stage of your life and to see whether we can work together.
It is also an opportunity for you to ask me any questions you may have about the process and myself and to see whether in your view psychotherapy with me is the right step forward.
On my part, I will carry out a full therapeutic assessment with you, carefully considering your current situation, past experiences, areas of concern, and expectations. I will also assess whether you might benefit from once/twice weekly psychodynamic psychotherapy, or from full psychoanalysis (four to five sessions per week).
To arrange an initial consultation or to discuss any questions or concerns you may have, you can send me a message here or on contact@shirinbiria.com.
www.shirinbiria.com
Training, qualifications & experience
My academic and clinical training affiliations are with the Psychoanalysis Unit of the University College London (UCL), the WPF Therapy, London Institute of Psychoanalysis and the University of Manchester.
PGDip (Dist) Psychodynamic Theory & Practice | The University of Roehampton (via WPF Therapy)
MSc Psychoanalytic Studies | The Psychoanalysis Unit, University College London (UCL)
Member of the Association for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in the NHS (APP)
I am also a member of International Psychoanalytic Studies Organisation
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.
The British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) is a professional association, representing the profession of psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
The organisation is itself made up of fourteen member organisations and BPC accredits the trainings of its member organisations. An individual who qualifies from one of these trainings is then eligible for entry into the BPC's register.
BPC registrants are governed by a code of ethics, a policy of continuing professional development, a statement on confidentiality and a complaints procedure. The BPC is a Member Society of the European Federation for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in the Public Sector (EFPP). Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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
£85.00 - £130.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Fees for each 50-minute session of ongoing weekly therapy can be discussed during the preliminary consultation. I offer a sliding scale based on individual circumstances, including household income and session frequency.
Recognising that more frequent sessions can be a significant financial consideration for many, I aim to accommodate my patients' needs by reserving a limited number of concessionary slots for those whom I recommend for increased session frequency (2-5 times weekly). These reduced-fee slots are limited and may not always be available, so if you are interested, please mention it in your initial enquiry.
When I work
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Further information
Location: My consulting rooms are located in central London.
