Puya Vakili

You are the expert on your own life, so I won’t begin by assuming how you might be feeling or the kinds of worries you may be grappling with. My role is to sit alongside you and help you notice, clarify and make sense of what might be happening for you – internally, with the people in your life and in the world around you.

I’ve trained in a range of therapeutic approaches, including psychoanalytic/dynamic, humanistic and existential but I use them flexibly. While they inform me, what leads the work is your lived experience in the room and what begins to unfold between us.

A central part of how I understand therapy involves helping you become more aware of how you are living your life: the patterns you are caught in, the meanings you have inherited and the choices you may not realise you are already making. Sometimes this includes gently approaching experiences that have felt overwhelming or traumatic and beginning to understand how they live in you now. From there, the aim is to help you begin to make choices that feel more intentional, truthful and aligned with who you are.

Being vulnerable and honest can be hard and sometimes frightening. I aim to offer a space that is compassionate, steady and non-judgemental. I also believe that therapy can be a place where challenge is important, a place where we can look at the things you might usually turn away from, at your own pace, together.

As with all relationships, this special kind of relationship depends on fit. It is important that you feel a sense of safety, resonance and possibility with whoever you choose to work with. I don’t believe I’m the therapist for every person hence, in early sessions, we’ll check in with each other to see how the work feels for you and whether the fit between us is right.

I work with adults from all backgrounds with particular experience supporting:

• LGBTQ+ and questioning clients

• People navigating identity, belonging and life transitions

• Those dealing with intense emotional states, anxiety or shame

• People who grew up with emotional unpredictability or silence

• Clients who struggle to express anger, sadness or vulnerability

• People with histories of loss and bereavement

• Clients exploring meaning, purpose or direction

• People living with or recently diagnosed with HIV

If any of this has sparked your interest, please feel free to get in touch. I offer a free 20-minute online consultation so we can get a sense of whether working together feels right for you.