Kalpna | Counsellor & Psychotherapist

Registrations

• BACP - The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
• The Professional Standards Authority
• EMDR (UK and Ireland) - the EMDR Association of the UK and Ireland
• EMDR Europe

I offer therapy in

• ✓ English

• ✓ Gujarati

Specialisations

• 1. Anxiety disorders inc OCD
• 2. Depression/low mood/loneliness
• 3. Trauma/abuse/assault/anger
• 4. Relationship challenges
• 5. Couples therapy & family issue
• 6. Neurodivergent clients
• 7. Low self-esteem & confidence
• 8. Stress & work related issues
• 9. Childhood issues
• 10. Expatriate & cultural struggle

Specialisations and Expertises

My practice spans several interconnected areas of expertise, developed through rigorous training, continuous professional development and over a decade of clinical experience across NHS, charity and private settings.

Trauma & PTSD

Trauma is my deepest area of specialism. I work with the full spectrum of traumatic experience including single incident trauma, complex and developmental trauma (CPTSD), childhood abuse and neglect, sexual abuse and assault, relational trauma and trauma arising from adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

I am fully trained in Level 1, 2 and 3 EMDR approach, training approved by the EMDR Europe Association, one of the most rigorous standards in trauma therapy internationally. My advanced trauma training includes work with some of the world's most respected trauma specialists including Janina Fisher (trauma treatment certification), Babette Rothschild, Bessel van der Kolk (trauma healing through the senses), Pat Ogden (Sensorimotor Psychotherapy), Arielle Schwartz (intensive trauma treatment) and Jan Winhall (Felt Sense Polyvagal Model). I also draw on Internal Family Systems (IFS) for trauma, Polyvagal Theory and neuroscience-informed practice.

My approach to trauma is always carefully paced, relational and attuned ensuring we are working with your nervous system rather than against it and never pushing you faster than feels safe. EMDR sometimes produces significant shifts in a more focused period once stabilisation is established.

Anxiety Disorders

As an Anxiety UK approved counsellor, anxiety is one of the issues I treat most frequently and with particular depth of training. I work with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder and panic attacks, OCD, social anxiety, health anxiety, perfectionism and performance anxiety.

I integrate CBT, one of the most evidence-based approaches for anxiety, with exposure and response prevention techniques, nervous system regulation and compassion focused therapy. This means we work both at the level of thoughts and behaviours and at the deeper level of the body and nervous system, addressing anxiety from multiple angles simultaneously.

Relationships, Couples & Family Therapy

Relationship difficulties, whether with a partner, within a family or in professional settings, are among the most common and most painful experiences people bring to therapy.

I hold a Certificate in Couple / Relationship Therapy and a Postgraduate Certificate in Systemic Psychotherapy awarded with Distinction, validated by the University of Essex and delivered by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, one of the UK's leading centres for psychotherapeutic training.

I am also a member of the Association for Family Therapy (AFT) and hold a Graduate Certificate in Systemic Approaches to Working with Individuals, Families and Organisations.

This systemic training means I am trained to understand not just the individual but the wider relational patterns, family dynamics, roles and communication styles that shape how we connect and disconnect from those around us.

I work with couples experiencing conflict, communication breakdown, loss of trust, infidelity, emotional distance and the particular challenges of neurodiverse relationships.

I also work with individuals processing difficult family dynamics, estrangement and intergenerational patterns.

Depression & Low Mood

Depression can range from persistent low mood and loss of motivation to profound hopelessness and inability to function. I work with depression in all its forms, including postnatal depression, seasonal depression, depression linked to life transitions and depression arising from unprocessed trauma or grief.

Using an integrative approach combining CBT, psychodynamic thinking, compassion focused therapy and nervous system regulation, I work to understand what underlies your low mood, not just to manage symptoms but to address root causes and support genuine, lasting recovery. 

Stress, Burnout & Professional Wellbeing

I have a particular specialism in working with professionals experiencing stress, burnout, imposter syndrome, work related anxiety and the emotional cost of high pressure careers. Before training as a therapist I spent over 30 years as a chartered accountant and management consultant, giving me an unusually direct understanding of professional life, workplace dynamics and the specific pressures faced by those in demanding roles.

In 2018 I carried out primary research into emotional wellbeing in workplaces.

My clients in this area include lawyers, consultants, accountants, business owners, CEOs, Medics including GPs, surgeons, anesthetists and public sector workers such as politicians, teachers, headteachers, fireman, police, detectives and senior professionals across many sectors.

I help clients understand the patterns driving their stress, rebuild sustainable boundaries, reconnect with what matters to them and develop a healthier relationship with work and ambition. 

Neurodivergence

I offer neuroaffirming support for autistic adults, those with ADHD and dyspraxia, as well as partners and family members navigating neurodiverse relationships. I adapt my therapeutic approach to suit different processing styles and needs and take care to work in a way that respects and honours neurodivergent experience rather than pathologising it. This is an area I continue to develop through ongoing professional training.

Expat & Cross-Cultural Counselling

Having lived and worked internationally in multinational corporates and with volunteer experience through UNHCR and work with children's orphanages and residential institutions across different countries, I have a deep understanding of the challenges faced by those living away from their home culture, including identity, belonging, isolation, cultural adjustment and the complexity of navigating life between worlds. I work with international clients online from across the UK, Europe and globally.

A note on session numbers

Every person is different, and the number of sessions that will feel right for you depends on the nature and complexity of what you are bringing, your goals and the pace that feels safe and manageable. I always discuss this with clients openly and review our work together regularly. Some people find that a focused piece of short term work, is what they need. Others benefit from longer term therapy. There is no pressure either way. What matters most is that the work feels meaningful and that you are moving in the direction you want to go.

Most common issues I support people with:

1. Anxiety
Anxiety can show up in many ways e.g constant worry, panic attacks, OCD, social anxiety, health anxiety, rumination or a persistent sense that something is wrong, even when life looks fine on the outside.

As an Anxiety UK approved counsellor with specialist training, I understand how exhausting and isolating anxiety can feel. Together we explore what is driving your anxiety at its roots, develop practical coping strategies and work towards helping you feel calmer, more grounded and more in control of your life.

2. Trauma
Traumatic experiences, whether a single event or a pattern of difficult experiences over time can leave a lasting imprint on how you feel, think and relate to others. I specialise in trauma across its full spectrum, including PTSD, complex PTSD (CPTSD), childhood abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and relational trauma.

As a fully trained EMDR therapist (EMDR Europe Association, Levels 1, 2 and 3) with advanced training from world leading trauma specialists including Janina Fisher, Bessel van der Kolk, Babette Rothschild and Pat Ogden, I offer a safe, carefully paced space to process what has happened and move forward with greater freedom and peace.

3. Depression & Low Mood
Depression can make even the simplest things feel heavy and out of reach. You may feel flat, tearful, disconnected from yourself or others or simply unable to find pleasure in things that used to matter. Sometimes it creeps in gradually, sometimes it follows a significant loss or life change.

Whatever has brought you here, you do not have to face it alone. Using an integrative approach, I will work with you and help you find your way back to a life that feels meaningful and manageable.

4. Relationship Difficulties & Couples Therapy
Relationships whether with a partner, family members or colleagues can be one of the greatest sources of both joy and pain. I work with individuals, couples anf families experiencing communication breakdown, conflict, loss of trust, infidelity, emotional distance, family tensions and the challenges of neurodiverse relationships.

Holding a Certificate in Couple / Relationship Therapy alongside a Postgraduate Certificate in Systemic Psychotherapy (Distinction, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust), I bring specialist training in understanding how we relate to one another and how those patterns can shift. Therapy offers a safe, structured space to be heard, to hear each other and to find a way forward whether that means rebuilding or navigating a healthy transition.

5. Stress & Burnout
Many of the people I work with are high-functioning professionals who are managing demanding careers, complex responsibilities and high expectations while quietly running on empty. Stress and burnout can manifest as exhaustion, irritability, difficulty concentrating, a sense of dread about work or feeling emotionally numb.

My background as a chartered accountant and management consultant with over 30 years in finance and consulting gives me a genuine, first hand understanding of professional pressure. I will help you understand the patterns driving your stress and develop a sustainable relationship with your work and yourself.

Fees

Payment is accepted by bank transfer.

Please note: I do not offer in-person evening sessions.

Rates: Individual sessions (50 minutes)

• £67.50 per session for online/telephone sessions (weekdays, 10-4pm). 
• £80.50 for in-person sessions (weekdays, 10-4pm) 
• £77.50 for evening online sessions.
• £90 for weekend in-person sessions.

Rates: Couples Therapy sessions (50 minutes). Longer couples sessions may be available by arrangement.

• £107/ session via video app during weekdays between 10am - 4pm
• £123/ session via video app after 4pm. 
• £130/ session, in-person during weekdays 10am - 4pm
• £150/ session for weekend in-person 10am -1pm

Rates: Family Therapy sessions . 

• £250/ session for weekend in-person 10am -1pm (90 mins)
• £107/ session via video app during weekdays between 10am - 4pm (50 mins)
• £123/ session via video app after 4pm (50 mins). 
• £130/ session, in-person during weekdays 10am - 4pm (50 mins)
• £150/ session for weekend in-person 10am -1pm (50 mins)

Payment Terms

Payment is required within 24 hours of agreeing a session time for all sessions.

If you require invoices or receipts, a £10 per session administrative charge will apply.

Reduced Rates

I am happy to discuss the possibility of offering a reduced rate. Please let me know if you meet any of the following criteria:

• You are receiving Universal Credit or Jobseeker’s Allowance
• You are a single parent or have dependents

Contact me