Here to help you work through the difficult stuff and enjoy the good stuff
Qualified, experienced and skilled
Hi there! I’m Aneela.
I am a qualified psychotherapist with over 20 years’ experience working within the NHS supporting people with their mental health difficulties and well-being. I currently provide a range of evidence based psychological therapies to adults in the NHS and private sector. I am accredited by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BACAP).
I have experience of working in different services, leading, and developing therapeutic programmes and working with people with a range of difficulties, tailoring therapy to their individual needs. I believe this is important as we are all unique, so therapy should be too!
I spent the beginning of my career working with children and young adults with emotional and behavioural difficulties, which led me to train as an occupational therapist. Following this, I worked with people with severe mental health difficulties across a range of forensic services. This steered me to work as an occupational therapist in specialist mental health settings, predominantly with people that have a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder or emotionally unstable personality disorder. Trauma focused work in this area quickly became a special interest, as did culturally adaptive therapy. Some therapy models have been developed with a specific population in mind which can lead to people feeling like they are not understood, their culture, family practices or religion are not understood. I therefore, worked on projects (and still do!) within minority communities adapting therapy so, it is culturally specific. I have specifically worked largely with South Asian communities.
During this period, I trained as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and completed training in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and Schema Therapy. I have over 10 years experience in working with people with complex trauma.
I work with mild to severe mental health difficulties, and my specialisms are
- trauma focused work/ complex trauma,
- Attachment difficulties
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Emotional disturbance,
- Interpersonal difficulties and relationship difficulties
- Culturally adaptive therapy.
To find out more about how I work, to have a chat or to get started working together fill in the contact form. I aim to get back in contact within 24-48hrs to arrange a set time to call to talk things through.
Qualifications and training:
- BA (hons) in Criminology
- MSc in Occupational Therapy (HCPC registered)
- Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapies (BABCP Accredited)
- Institute of Group Analysis: Diploma in Groupwork Practice (Foundation Year)
- Trained in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
- Individual Schema Therapy training (ISST certified)
- Group schema therapy training (ISST certified) with Joan Farrell and Ida Shaw
- A course in Personality Development across the Life Cycle (Northern School of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy)
- Perinatal Mental Health training (IHV)
- Trauma specific training
- Personality disorder specific training
- Eating disorder training
- Avoidant Food Restrictive Intake Disorder Training (Maudsley Centre for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders)
I have successfully worked clients with the following issues :
- Abuse
- Anger problems
- Anxiety, including Generalised Anxiety Disorder
- Attachment issues
- ADHD
- Bereavement/adjustment problems
- Depression and low mood
- Difficulty regulating emotions
- Low self-esteem
- Obsessions and compulsions (including various different forms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
- Phobia
- Repeating problem and harmful patterns in life
- Relationship difficulties
- Self-harm
- Sexual abuse
- Shyness and social anxiety
- Stress
- PSTD and complex trauma