Malla Sofia Long

- I offer online and telephone sessions nationwide -

Hi, I’m Malla (she/her). Doesn't life sometimes feel like it's a bit too much?

We all face moments when things can feel overwhelming - stress is piling up, emotions that you can't quite put your finger on, or you have thoughts that never seem to quieten down. If that resonates, counselling may be able to help.

As a therapist, I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. You are unique, and the challenges you face deserve a space tailored to you. My work creates a safe, supportive environment where you can make sense of your experiences, explore what’s holding you back, and uncover ways to move forward.

I use a person-centred approach, drawing on polyvagal theory to help you understand not only what you’re feeling but also how your mind and body are responding. Together, we’ll work toward helping you feel grounded, connected, and ready to handle life’s ups and downs.

My multicultural background has shaped my understanding of navigating different roles and expectations. Whether you’re managing cultural dynamics, dealing with life’s responsibilities, or reconnecting with yourself, I’ll support you in finding clarity, confidence, and your own sense of belonging.

I have experience working with people in high-pressure environments like academia. If you’re a student, researcher, or academic professional dealing with impostor syndrome, burnout, or perfectionism, we’ll work together to quiet the noise and reconnect with the joy in your work and life.

I’m a fully qualified counsellor and psychotherapist, registered with the BACP. Before becoming a therapist, I worked in the arts and in dance and movement therapy. Inclusivity is at the heart of my work - I welcome clients of all ethnicities and from the LGBTQ+ community.

Therapy with me is collaborative. I’m not here to give you all the answers, but I will walk alongside you as you discover your own. We will explore your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours to uncover patterns that may no longer serve you. This is your time to reflect, process, and grow at a pace that feels right for you, working towards long term improvements as well as addressing day to day issues.

Our sessions will provide a space for you to talk freely, without judgment or the expectation to have it all figured out. Unlike conversations with friends or family, therapy offers impartial and objective support, allowing you to go deeper and explore your challenges in a way that feels freeing and empowering.

I’ll listen carefully to your experiences, offer reflections to help you better understand yourself, and support you in finding ways to cope - both in the moment and in the long term. My approach is gentle and compassionate, but I’ll also gently challenge you when it feels helpful, so we can work toward meaningful change.

Practicalities

Sessions last 50 minutes unless we agree otherwise. My standard fee is £60 per session, and I offer some lower-cost spaces for students - please contact me for more information.

I provide counselling online via Zoom and over the phone if you prefer not to use video. If in-person sessions feel right for you, I’d love to welcome you to my therapy room in Newport, Shropshire.

Before we meet, I’ll send you all the practical details you’ll need so you can feel prepared and know what to expect. This way, you can make an informed decision about whether to proceed with booking.

Our first session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other. We’ll explore what’s brought you to therapy, your expectations, and what you’re hoping to gain from our work together. I’ll explain how confidentiality works, answer any questions about the process, and help you get a sense of whether I’m the right therapist for you.

If you choose to continue, we’ll discuss how often you’d like to meet and whether you’d prefer a fixed number of sessions or a more open-ended approach. For those seeking support after a traumatic event, please know we’ll go at your pace. You won’t be asked - or expected - to share anything you’re not ready to.

I also offer a free 15-minute introductory call. This informal chat is a chance for you to ask any initial questions and get a feel for what working with me might be like. It’s a small but important step in helping you decide if therapy with me feels right.

Please note: I am currently unable to take on new face-to-face clients. Please get in touch about my availability for online and telephone sessions.

Hi, I’m Malla (she/her),

I help people get through difficult times and find ways to live a better, more satisfying life. As well as depression and anxiety, I work with self-esteem, identity issues, relationships and loss. I offer a culturally sensitive approach to counselling informed by practice, training and lived experience of spending time in a variety of different countries. 

More than a year of restrictions has changed the way we live. Perhaps the pandemic has brought up issues you were able to ignore in the past, but need dealing with now. Not being able to see loved ones, or trying to navigate relationships that have become strained, can be exhausting. 

ABOUT ME

I am a fully qualified person-centred counsellor/psychotherapist, registered with the BACP. I work with an awareness of trauma and my practice is guided by the core principles of the person-centred and humanistic approaches, mindfulness and polyvagal theory. Before training as a counsellor, I worked in the arts, and in dance- and movement therapy. 

Inclusivity is my core value. I welcome LGBTQ+ clients, as well as people of all ethnicities to work with me.

HOW I WORK

In counselling we work together by looking at your feelings around current and past events, and your behaviours and thinking patterns that may not be serving you well. It is your space and time to explore these areas, at your pace.

Together we aim to find ways of coping that benefit you in the long term, empower you to take charge of your life and enable you to feel good in your own skin. Unlike a chat with a friend, counselling offers support from a person who is impartial and objective, really giving you a space to explore your situation in depth, at your pace.

During the sessions I listen to you carefully and offer my reflections to make sure I really understand what you are experiencing. You can expect me to be accepting, gentle and compassionate as your therapist.

PRACTICALITIES

All sessions last 50 minutes, unless we have arranged otherwise. The standard fee for each session is £60. 

I sometimes have availability to offer a limited number of sessions at a reduced fee - please contact me to discuss this.

I offer face-to-face sessions in Newport, Shropshire, as well as online and telephone counselling to clients nationwide.

FIRST SESSION

Before we meet for your first session I will send you details about the practical side of things, so that you know what to expect and can make a fully informed decision about whether to go ahead with your booking.

In the first session, we start by discussing your situation, your expectations, and reasons for seeking counselling in more detail. I will explain the confidential nature of the work and answer any questions you may have about the process. If you decide to continue working with me, we will discuss your hopes for the frequency and amount of sessions, or simply agree to work in an open-ended way, session by session.

If you are looking for therapy because of a traumatic event, I will go entirely at your pace, and you will not be expected, or asked, to talk about this event in detail in the first session, unless you wish to do so.

If you would like to have a chat first, please give me a call and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have. If I cannot take your call, please leave a message with your name and number and a good time to call you back.