Varsha Punjabi

Welcome! I am a registered counsellor and psychotherapist with almost 10 years' experience of working in mental health. I am registered member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP). I am currently in the final stages of completing my doctoral training as a counselling psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Experience

I currently work part-time within the NHS in Early Intervention for Psychosis.

My clinical experience to date includes working with adults, families, children, and adolescents both within public health services (NHS) and in mental health charity organisations. I have worked with people experiencing a range of issues including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, phobias, relationship issues, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and complex trauma.

I have also had several years’ experience working as a service manager in residential and supported living services for a UK charity organisation where we offered group therapy and one-to-one work.

Training

Prior to starting my doctoral training I completed a Bachelor of Science with honours in Psychology and a Masters in Counselling for Adults. I am currently in the process of completing a postgraduate qualification in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Psychosis and Bipolar Disorder at University College London (UCL).

I am also a qualified yoga teacher, and I am interested in the link between mind and body and supporting people to think about their emotional wellbeing holistically. 

My therapeutic approach is integrative, drawing on various psychological models in accordance with your unique needs and goals. I aim to create a space that is safe, respectful, authentic, and collaborative. I believe that the relationship between therapist and client is core to the therapeutic process, and I believe it is crucial we can work together towards empowering you to make the changes you are looking for.

I have been trained to apply various psychotherapeutic models in therapy including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Person-centred Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive-Analytic Therapy (CAT).

I currently work as an online therapist and offer sessions via Zoom. I offer evening appointments on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.   

Deciding to start therapy can feel challenging. For some, it is a big decision and commitment to make. For this reason, I offer a free initial 20 minute phone or zoom conversation to answer any questions you have and to help you make an informed decision around starting therapy. If you decide to begin therapy with me, we would then discuss practicalities such as session scheduling. 

In your first session, I aim to get an understanding of how your life is right now, what has brought you to therapy, and what you would like to gain from therapy.