About me
Hi, I’m Zara, a qualified counsellor and final-year doctoral trainee in counselling psychology. I offer individual therapy for children (age 6+), teenagers, and parents, either in person (Eastbourne & Brighton) or online (from age 10+).
I work in a relational, down-to-earth way. Therapy with me is built on trust, warmth, and genuine connection. I don’t see myself as the expert on your life or your child’s, but I do bring clinical knowledge, experience, and psychological insight that we can draw on together. My role is to offer a steady, thoughtful space to explore difficult feelings, make sense of what’s going on, and move toward greater confidence, clarity and emotional balance.
Whether you're a parent feeling stretched or a young person navigating change or big emotions, I offer support that is calm, collaborative, and focused on what matters most to you.
People often come to me for support with:
- Anxiety, worries, or panic
- Low mood or persistent sadness
- Emotional regulation and big feelings
- ADHD and executive functioning challenges
- Autism, identity and sensory experiences
- Self-esteem, confidence and self-image
- Chronic health conditions, your own or within the family
- Parental stress, burnout or identity shifts
- Grief, bereavement, and major life transitions
I offer individual therapy only, not family or systemic therapy, but I always work with the wider family in mind. When a child or teenager starts therapy, I know it can bring up a lot for parents too, especially around not knowing exactly what’s being talked about or how things are going. When therapy is arranged, I’ll help you navigate expectations and boundaries so that everyone feels safe, informed, and respected. While I protect each young person’s confidentiality, I also understand the importance of supporting parents to feel included, heard, and held in the process.
Alongside one-to-one work, I occasionally run psychoeducational groups that children, parents, or whole families can attend together. These are not therapy sessions, but guided spaces to learn and reflect around themes like grief, neurodiversity, or emotional wellbeing, helping families open up shared conversations outside of the therapy room.
In addition to private practice, I’ve supported clients in NHS Talking Therapies, hospice care, and community-based services. I’ve taught psychology, delivered mental health and bereavement training, and developed support programmes for caregivers. My approach is shaped by person-centred, experiential, and trauma-informed models, and supported by doctoral-level training in counselling psychology.
I’m also a Mum of two, and that lived experience helps keep my work real, compassionate, and grounded in the everyday realities of family life.
Training, qualifications & experience
I’m a qualified Person-Centred and Experiential Counsellor (PCET) with a BSc in Counselling Psychology and a Diploma in Person-Centred and Experiential Counselling. I’m currently completing a Doctorate in Counselling Psychology (expected 2026), which deepens and broadens my work with families, children, and parents, particularly when emotional challenges are tied to caregiving, identity shifts, or the pressures of family life.
Member organisations
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
Fees
£65.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
I offer a free introductory telephone call or video session lasting 10mins.
Currently, I only have limited online availability on a Wednesday and Thursday morning. This can change with client progress and needs so please do ask if these days are not suitable.
I hold 2 reduced cost sessions per week, for up to 8 sessions, to ensure that therapy can be accessible to all. Those typically requiring this include displaced, asylum seeking or refugee parents/children, parents with a reduced income due to caregiving for their child.
When I work
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