Fareda Barlas

I believe that real change begins when we make space not only for the parts of ourselves we readily accept, but also for the parts we have learned to hide. The vulnerable part, the sad part, the frightened part, the hopeful part, and the part that still longs to be understood. Many people come to therapy because they find themselves repeating the same patterns in relationships, struggling with anxiety or self-doubt, feeling overwhelmed, disconnected from a partner, or wondering why the same difficulties keep resurfacing despite their best efforts. Others may appear to be coping well on the outside while privately carrying a sense that something feels stuck. My approach is warm, relational and collaborative. Together, we can explore the patterns, experiences and relationships that have shaped how you relate to yourself and others. Many of the ways we learn to cope develop for good reasons and may once have helped us survive difficult experiences. Over time, however, those same patterns can become restrictive, affecting how we live, love and connect. I am a warm therapist, and I am also a direct one. Alongside empathy and support, I will gently challenge where challenge feels helpful. Therapy is not about being judged, fixed or given advice. It is about creating a space where we can become curious about what lies beneath the surface and make sense of experiences that may have felt confusing, painful or difficult to understand alone. I work with both individuals and couples and also offer EMDR therapy. As an Integrative Psychotherapist, I draw on psychodynamic, attachment-based, existential, humanistic, gestalt and body-oriented approaches, adapting the therapy to the person or couple in front of me rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model. Whether you are seeking support for yourself, your relationship, or the impact of past experiences that continue to affect the present, therapy can offer an opportunity to understand yourself more deeply and create the possibility for greater freedom, connection and choice.

I am a UKCP Accredited Integrative Psychotherapist and registered member of the BACP, working with adults and couples in private practice in Hadley Wood, North London, and online. I have experience working with a wide range of presenting issues including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, trauma, low self-esteem, shame, grief and loss, identity issues, attachment difficulties, and the lasting impact of childhood experiences. Alongside individual psychotherapy, I work extensively with couples experiencing conflict, communication difficulties, emotional disconnection, trust issues, betrayal and relationship transitions. I also offer EMDR therapy for clients who are struggling with the impact of traumatic or distressing experiences that continue to affect them in the present. Prior to establishing my private practice, I gained clinical experience within counselling services supporting adults from diverse backgrounds and life circumstances.

MA / Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy, The Minster Centre (accredited by Middlesex University) BA (Hons) Psychology and Marketing MA Marketing Additional professional training includes EMDR therapy, trauma-informed practice, attachment and relational psychotherapy, body-oriented approaches, domestic abuse, self-harm, bereavement, eating disorders, working with adolescents, and psychiatric assessment.