My Approach

I carefully explore the clients history - generational patterns before and after your birth, your childhood, your relationships, and any trauma’s, and find a holistic route to understand why you may respond to situations / relationships / yourself in the way that you do. Maybe you’ve heard of Jung's shadow work? How the unconscious parts of ourselves create both helpful and unhelpful patterns in our behaviour and relationships. We will explore all of you; the conscious and unconscious.

I work holistically to integrate different therapy styles with aspects of attachment theory, relationship styles, and love languages. I may incorporate eco therapy, breathwork, stretches, tantra, journaling and book / film recommendations. I've been Muslim for twenty years but work in either secular or spiritual ways - Sessions are tailored to YOU.

About Me

Let’s make sense of things together, and bring some calmness and compassion into your life. I can offer a space of non-judgemental acceptance of who you are and / or who you want to become, with an attunement to whatever it is that you may be seeking. Psychotherapy can help you to understand yourself better and as your therapist, I can guide and nurture you towards change.

I work either from a therapeutic lounge in South Leicestershire or from a garden space with the sounds of windchimes, chickens, ducks, and running water offering a peaceful backdrop to your time here. We can also ‘walk and talk’ around Leicester’s Botanic Gardens, using Ecotherapy to add a different dynamic to our work, and I offer video calling via Zoom. Or maybe we can do a mixture of any or all of these approaches so that you can meet different parts of yourself.

I am trained as an Integrative Psychotherapist and am registered with BACP & UKCP. I have achieved a BSc Psychology, PGDip in Integrative Psychotherapy, and an MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy, as well as various CPD courses around sexual trauma, sexual health, tantric practice, & couples therapy. I work holistically with individuals, couples and family members to integrate mind, emotion (soul) and body – considering the wholeness of a person. Sessions might incorporate breathwork, pilates / yoga type stretches, journaling, sensory consciousness, eco therapy (outdoor psychotherapy) and space for both silence and talking. My work is deep rooted and centred around YOUR needs and desire to make changes, rather than any rigid framework. There’s space for creativity / flexibility within our time together.

My preferred name is Aqeela - I’ve been Muslim for twenty years, but grew up as an atheist living within Western culture. I therefore understand and accept people of all faiths or none. Embedded within me are aspects of Sufism, Eastern Philosophy, deeper consciousness and a desire to connect intuitively with the natural world. Much of my training and previous work involved working from a secular perspective, so I have developed a way to integrate the western models of psychotherapy with existentialism and transpersonal therapy, for those clients to whom that appeals.

I have particular experience in guiding clients through sexual trauma, being impacted by a drug / alcohol / emotional / physical / sexual abuser, feelings of being different or ‘other’, loneliness, and working through the acceptance of a traumatic childhood / relationship(s). I have worked with clients who couldn’t understand, describe or feel what emotions were, therefore needing a more gentle longer term approach, but also clients who just need short term guidance and techniques for overcoming stress, self-doubt and depression. I also specialise in ecotherapy / walk and talk / outdoor therapy.

I am enthusiastic about encouraging both women and men to notice and nurture their feelings of self-belief, self-worth and self-confidence. I am passionate about nurturing healthier relationships, and offer couples therapy to support both/all of you to connect more deeply and lovingly with each other.

We can work together for as long as you need, until you feel better connected to yourself and to others.

I work with

• Couples
• Groups
• Individuals

Special Interests

Like all UKCP registered psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors I can work with a wide range of issues, but here are some areas in which I have a special interest or additional experience.

Types of Therapies Offered

• Integrative Psychotherapist

What I can help with

• Abuse
• Addiction
• Adoption
• Age-related Issues
• Anger Management
• Anorexia
• Anxiety
• Bereavement
• Bulimia
• Bullying
• Couple Issues
• Cultural Issues
• Depression
• Divorce
• Domestic Violence
• Eating Disorders
• Family
• Identity Problems
• Infertility
• Mental Health Issues
• Obsessions
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Online Counselling
• Parents
• Physical Abuse
• Post-Traumatic Stress
• Race Issues
• Relationships
• Separation
• Sex Problems
• Sexual Abuse
• Spirituality
• Step Families
• Stress
• Suicide
• Trauma