Zain Kazi

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Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist & Counsellor (BABCP, COSCA)
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE3
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I am a friendly therapist trained in CBT and other approaches. I help people work through feeling anxious, stressed, panicky, frustrated or low, whether it is because of a particular problem or life in general. You might be finding less pleasure in the things you used to enjoy, or you find yourself reacting in ways that are not usual for you. Perhaps it has gone on for a while or is affecting your work, relationships, health or other important part of life.

My aim in therapy is to help you gain the understanding and tools you need to be able to feel better now and in the future. I do this by collaborating with you, weaving together elements of various therapies, and giving you the support and structure to explore your experiences fully.

What I can offer you

  • A safe, warm and accepting space for you to unpick what is happening
  • A framework to understand yourself, your experiences and your deeper belief systems better - and how these impact on your wellbeing
  • Small practical tools to help you cope in healthy ways
  • A partnership where we both actively shape your therapy and do it together

You may benefit from coming to see me for therapy if you relate to any of these:

  • You need to talk through your problems or feelings to get more clarity on them but want more than just a listening ear
  • You aren't sure which type of therapy is best and would like someone to adapt around you - OR:
  • You are experiencing a mental health problem that CBT is recommended for, e.g. generalised anxiety disorder, depression, panic disorder, OCD, phobias

My approach is especially suited to you if:

  • You would like to have some goals to work towards in therapy
  • You would prefer some sense of structure in what we are doing and why
  • You would like to develop healthier ways of coping in the long-term

I warmly welcome you for a free initial consultation to see if we are a good fit. For more information on what therapy would look like, see the 'Further Information' section near the bottom.

Training, qualifications & experience

Training

I completed my training in Glasgow and Edinburgh before I moved to Newcastle. I am trained to practice integratively on a CBT framework. This means I mainly use CBT and weave in elements of other therapies that are valuable.

I have further training in Schema Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness-Based approaches. These are also known as third wave therapies, having advanced on CBT.

I have attended various shorter training courses on specific subjects to continue to grow and learn as a practitioner. If there is something in particular you'd like to enquire about with regards to my training that would be important to you, e.g. LGBT issues, eating disorders, young people, please feel free to ask.

Qualifications

  • SCOTACS Diploma in Counselling and Groupwork - a CBT approach

The Centre of Therapy and Counselling Studies, Glasgow (2015-2017)

  • BSc (Hons) Psychology

The Open University (2014 - 2018)

  • COSCA Certificate in Counselling Skills

Glasgow Caledonian University (2014-2015)

Experience

I have worked with universities, charities, NHS services and mental health organisations for several years at practitioner and manager level.

In addition to counselling private clients, I teach trainee therapists and counsellors and deliver mental health training to organisations.

Because I've worked with occupational health departments, I am highly experienced in helping clients with issues in their jobs and working life, whether it is to do with stress, conflict, confidence or a career transition.

Member organisations

COSCA
College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists (COSCA)

COSCA is the professional body for counselling and psychotherapy in Scotland, and seeks to advance all forms of counselling and psychotherapy and the use of counselling skills by promoting best practice and through the delivery of a range of sustainable services. COSCA Counsellor Accreditation is a pathway to entry onto the UKRC.

It is a requirement of all individual and organisational members of COSCA to abide by its Statement of Ethics and Code of Practice and be accountable to the Complaints Procedure. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.

Accredited register membership

College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists
Accredited Register Scheme

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.

College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists

Fees

£60.00 - £70.00
Free initial telephone session

Concessions offered for

  • Low income
  • Students
  • Unemployed

Additional information

1 hour session: £70

Clients normally see me for one session every week or every fortnight.

Please get in touch for fee information if you are a student or on low income.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

I usually see clients on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays between 8am and 8pm.

Further information

Choosing a therapist and type of therapy

How much you get out of therapy is as much about the therapist as a person as it is about their approach and you may find it tricky to navigate the many different therapies offered in the North East. Many clients find therapists through recommendation as this can feel safer than reaching out to a complete stranger about something so personal.

Now that you're here, the easiest thing to do is to text, email or phone me. We can arrange a time for us to have a free initial consultation on the phone about what's going on for you, what you think you are looking for and what might be the best type of counselling or therapy for you. I can tell you a bit more about how CBT can help you and how the sessions would work.

I work within a network of fantastic fellow counsellors and therapists and if I think a different approach or style would work better for your needs, I will let you know who I recommend and can point you in their direction.

If we do decide to continue together after our inital chat, we are likely to work together for somewhere between 4 and 20 sessions, and we can agree this together. Many of my clients have around 12 -16 sessions and often people find that they have gained enough understanding and tools from this to be able to carry on independently.

The therapy process

During our first full therapy session, we will spend some time exploring what is happening in your life that brings you to therapy, and start getting a sense of how you'd like things to be. You don't need to prepare anything, I invite you to bring your whole self just as you are right now.

In our few sessions after that, we can begin to uncover and learn more about what's behind those feelings, how you think, how you respond, what you value and what's really keeping you stuck, especially if you have noticed the same old patterns playing out in your life for a while.

We can bring into your awareness the rules and beliefs you unconsciously hold for yourself, others and the world and how these might be limiting you from enjoying your life fully. For example, it is common in depression to believe that you are not worthy, have failed or are completely alone. These beliefs (cognitions) may lead you to avoiding others, withdrawing or trying even harder to be perfect (behaviours). We can help you make connections between your unconscious cognitions and behaviours and how they are contributing to how you feel.

In the middle part of therapy, we begin to gently challenge and shift some of those obstacles out of your path. We will likely try a few different tools until we find the things you most click with. These could be a mixture of psycho-education, mindfulness, role-play, relaxation, behavioural experiments, thought experiments or creative methods. For some clients, the problems might not go away entirely, but our aim is that you feel better able to handle them in a healthy way.

As you begin to notice changes, feel calmer and more in control, rediscover some of your spark and feel a stronger sense of who you are and what's important to you, we will begin to wind down towards the end of therapy. These last few sessions are a chance to consolidate what we've done so far, create a plan for what you want to continue working on after therapy and bring our therapeutic relationship to a healthy end.

Throughout this whole process, it is my job to adapt to what you are bringing into the room. We will collaborate on the direction your therapy takes and check in as we go along to make sure you are getting what you need from therapy. I will ask you about how you feel therapy is going for you, what's working, what isn't and what we could do differently. As a result of this, we can have a strong and genuine therapeutic relationship.

Drop me a text, email or call and we can see if this is what you need.

Times and location

Currently, I am seeing clients online via Zoom or in-person. The practice location is near Regent's Centre metro station. The location is private, has a waiting area and nearby parking.

I usually see clients on Wednesdays, Thursday evenings or Fridays.

Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE3

Type of session

In person
Online

Types of client

Adults
Older adults
Couples
Groups
Organisations
Employee Assistance Programme

Key details

DBS check

In England and Wales, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly known as CRB) carry out criminal records checks for individuals working with vulnerable groups, such as children. To find out more, visit gov.uk , or contact this professional directly

PVG Scheme

In Scotland, criminal records checks are carried out by Disclosure Scotland. Professionals working with children or vulnerable adults must join the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. You can learn more at mygov.scot , or contact this professional directly.

Online platforms

Zoom

Supervision

In person
Online

CBT and Integrative Counselling Supervision offered. My main modality of work is CBT although my foundational training is person-centred.

View supervision profile

Zain Kazi
Zain Kazi