Sunah Akhtar, BACP
Supportive counsellor for life transition challenges
Continue with Sunah
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- Person centred
- Practical strategies
- Multilingual
About Sunah
Sunah Akhtar is a counsellor who helps people facing midlife changes, stress and anxiety. She works with individuals who feel stuck, overwhelmed or unsure about what comes next. Sunah speaks English, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu, and draws on nine years of practice to support people through difficult moments.
She uses a person-centred, empathic stance that encourages people to lead the pace and topics of sessions. Sunah also draws on cognitive behavioural approaches and mindfulness to help people notice unhelpful thought patterns and try small, practical experiments. Conversations are straightforward and focused on what feels useful in everyday life.
Her background includes a four-year placement providing emotional support at community organisations, and she has offered therapy through online services. Sunah is a BACP member, which reflects her professional registration with that body.
In sessions she addresses common concerns such as work-life balance, panic attacks, low self-esteem, relationship and attachment difficulties, grief, addiction and coping with life changes. She also supports people dealing with chronic health issues, caregiving stress, body image and intimacy-related worries.
Sunah aims to help people build practical coping skills and clearer thinking. She encourages small, achievable steps and keeps the work collaborative. To begin, clients use the site Start Therapy flow to complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.
She uses a person-centred, empathic stance that encourages people to lead the pace and topics of sessions. Sunah also draws on cognitive behavioural approaches and mindfulness to help people notice unhelpful thought patterns and try small, practical experiments. Conversations are straightforward and focused on what feels useful in everyday life.
Her background includes a four-year placement providing emotional support at community organisations, and she has offered therapy through online services. Sunah is a BACP member, which reflects her professional registration with that body.
In sessions she addresses common concerns such as work-life balance, panic attacks, low self-esteem, relationship and attachment difficulties, grief, addiction and coping with life changes. She also supports people dealing with chronic health issues, caregiving stress, body image and intimacy-related worries.
Sunah aims to help people build practical coping skills and clearer thinking. She encourages small, achievable steps and keeps the work collaborative. To begin, clients use the site Start Therapy flow to complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
AddictionsLGBTGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImmigration issuesImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems
Experience
9+ years
Credentials
United Kingdom
Languages
English, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu
How her approaches translate to online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting driven by them, and then focus on values-based actions. It can be useful for anxiety, low mood and coping with major life transitions. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviour and uses short experiments and practical skills to reduce unhelpful patterns; this often helps with panic, worry and low self-esteem.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Sunah will talk with each person about what they want to achieve and suggest methods that fit those goals. Together they adjust the pace and tools so the sessions feel useful and manageable.
Confirm the available session options before booking as formats are not specified here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into busy lives, for example by removing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins during a work break, or letting someone choose a session that does not require being on camera. Registered or accredited professionals can tailor exercises, worksheets and mindfulness practices to work well through remote sessions, helping people apply what they learn between meetings.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of issues does this counsellor help with?
She supports a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and attachment difficulties, grief, addictions, parenting stresses and midlife changes.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Sessions are person-centred and empathic, with practical tools from cognitive behavioural approaches and mindfulness woven in where useful.
How much experience does she have?
She has nine years of experience, including a four-year placement delivering emotional support in community settings.
Where is the counsellor based and what credential does she hold?
She practises in the United Kingdom and is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, listed as BACP.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu.
Can people outside the UK work with her?
She accepts international clients, so people outside the UK may be matched for sessions.
How are sessions charged?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
What should I do to start therapy?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.