Chandana Rathnayake , BACP, NCPS

Chandana Rathnayake helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression and midlife crisis. He supports those dealing with grief, low self-esteem, life changes and struggles with purpose. He also works with issues like addiction, trauma, parenting strain and relationship difficulties as individual concerns.

He began practising as a counsellor in 2013 in Malaysia and moved to the United Kingdom in 2019. Chandana is registered with BACP and holds NCPS, and he has around ten years of counselling experience. He also works as a mental health adviser for young adults in the higher education sector in the UK.

Before studying psychology and counselling, he spent twenty years living as a Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka. That time gave him a direct, lived perspective on everyday suffering and on simple ways people make meaning in life. He left the monkhood to raise a family and bring those experiences into his current work.

In sessions he uses a blend of familiar talking approaches and techniques drawn from different traditions. He aims to help people notice what they already carry and put those parts to use. Chandana describes the work as a collaborative rebuilding project, turning painful experiences into usable material for change.

People often come to him when they feel lost, stuck, or without direction. He offers straightforward conversation, practical reflection and an emphasis on finding purpose, motivation and small steps forward. If someone is facing major change or deep shame, he aims to make the first steps clearer and more manageable.

How his approaches shape online work

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on the person in front of the counsellor. It involves open listening, acceptance and helping people find their own solutions; it is useful for low self-esteem, grief and feeling stuck. Existential Therapy looks at meaning, choice and responsibility in life. It helps when someone is questioning purpose, facing a midlife crisis or navigating major life change.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The counsellor will talk with each person about what feels helpful and adjust methods based on needs, goals and personal preferences. This is a collaborative process where the client’s experience guides the direction of the sessions.

Confirm what session formats are available before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counselling around work, study and family life, and they often reduce travel time. They can also allow for shorter check-ins when schedules are tight or easier switching between audio-only and video depending on bandwidth or comfort. Registered or accredited professionals can help plan session length and rhythm to match everyday commitments.