Hi there, thank you for taking the time to look at my profile.  

Various challenges in life can make us feel overwhelmed and even confused.  Counselling can help with this.  Challenges such as loss, bereavement,  losing a job, having a new job or having a baby can trigger anxiety, stress, or depression in our lives.  Counselling can help you understand what is happening for you and your triggers.  This allows you to make changes to your life allowing you to live a calmer, more authentic life, as well as improving communication with others. 

So, you might be feeling overwhelmed, and you might have developed unhelpful ways to cope, which so many of us do.  Whether dealing with such issues or trying to find life directions, counselling allows you to talk to someone in a safe, non-judgemental environment.  I am interested in you and what makes you unique.  During our sessions , you can explore your emotions, fears, and worries with me, while trying to make sense of them.  I help you to understand this and to work on changing self-limiting beliefs while increasing self-compassion.

I work both face to face from lovely therapy rooms in Mayfair and East London. I also provide sessions online.  I can also provide sessions in Arabic  and English.

I specialise in anxiety and self-esteem.  I have had my training in pluralistic counselling; which means that, as we are all different and our psychological difficulties may have various causes, I use the appropriate psychotherapeutic approach to work with you.  I use: Person-Centred, CBT, Compassion Focused therapies as well as some elements of psychodynamic and existential counselling.  I adapt my approach to tailor the sessions according to your needs. This is done in collaboration with you and at your own pace.

Our bodies respond to stress and anxiety causing symptoms such as digestive problems, headaches, chronic pains, and disturbed sleep.  When working with my clients, I use a variety of additional techniques at my disposal, such as hypnotherapy and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and mindfulness which aim at reprograming your brain to replace negative thought patterns with positive ones. 

Before training to become a counsellor, I worked in media then in schools as a teacher and as part of management.  In both professions, I experienced and witnessed anxiety and stress.  After experiencing the benefits of counselling, myself, I started learning various techniques to help reduce anxiety and stress, using them to help adults and children.

Having lived and worked in various countries such as Egypt, Hungary, France and Italy, I am able to relate to, empathise with and understand my clients’ diverse backgrounds and needs. 

I love this quote from Socrates, which reflects the importance of creating a new present, while understanding the past, rather than fighting it. 

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new”.

I work with: 

Depression
Anxiety
Stress
Phobias
Stress management
Low self-esteem
Low self-image
Relationship challenges
Low confidence
Difficulties in communication
Disturbed sleep
Weight management
Menopause symptoms

Qualifications: 

- A Professional Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling.

- A  Certificate in Counselling and Counselling Skills.

-A Certificate- Level 2 Emotional Freedom Technique

- A Certificate in the Hypnotherapy and Counselling Skills

- A Certificate in Coaching and NLP

- PGCE

- MA

- BA HONS

I am an accredited member of the National Counselling Society and the National Hypnotherapy Society.  

My background: 

Before becoming a counsellor, I worked as a teacher for many years, after a few years in media.  In both of these career worlds I have seen the amount of stress and anxiety that people come under.  I could see and experience how strains on our mental health can reduce our quality of life.  My interest in the human mind and behaviour grew as did my love for helping people.  I found ways to help people feel more positive about themselves and to take control of their lives, until I finally became a counsellor and hypnotherapist. 

As a teacher, I used various techniques such as mindfulness, meditation and EFT to help my students become calmer and more positive learners. I also understand the stresses that those working in the teaching profession encounter and this has been helpful when working with clients from this background.

As I am interested in various cultures and backgrounds, I really enjoy working with a range and variety of backgrounds. 

I am fully insured, registered with the ICO and have a current DBS.

Testimonials:

Maha and I were only able to meet face to face at my very first session before the pandemic in March. We then switched to video call. This went really well and I was able to plug in my headphones while Maha took me through her script into deep relaxation.

I felt the sessions were very helpful as I was experiencing a lot of work stressors including difficult work colleagues. After a weekly discussion regarding my concerns, Maha was able to adjust her script so we could work on managing techniques. I found the breathing exercises really helpful which I continue to this day.

All in all it was a very positive experience for me and I have been able to continue to manage my anxieties with Maha’s help and guidance. I thoroughly recommend the service Maha provides and I feel this type of therapy is beneficial for any concerns. J

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I lost my confidence and struggled to feel confident as a British Muslim woman at work. The discomfort and feelings of being inadequate were exhausting. Maha's sessions always left me with a sense of calm and stillness, this helped me feel more relaxed and focused in the coming weeks. I became more aware of how my body reacts to anxiety. Maha enabled me to envisage my safe space, empowered me with tools to believe in myself and embody the positive affirmations she would use in her therapy. I was more confident and calm in my own skin at work, less reliant on the opinions of others for validation and as a result, more effective. HE-S

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It's now been a few months since our sessions ended, and I've  lost almost 2 1/2 stone in total - something I really didn't think would be possible. I'm enjoying exercise again

and am able to enjoy the odd treat or  glass of wine without it ruining my diet. I will definitely recommend Maha to anyone I know who's looking for weight loss options. R.

You can check my website :

https://www.mahaamintherapy.com/