Shahna Thurston , BACP

Shahna Thurston is an MBACP (Accred) therapist practising in the United Kingdom, holding a Master’s in Counselling and Psychotherapy with distinction and five years of professional experience. She works in an integrative way, combining humanistic and person-centred foundations with existential perspectives, alongside certified training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and elements of psychodynamic and transference-focused work. Her practice is informed by trauma-focused methods, including training in Janna Fisher trauma work, and she plans to complete EMDR training later this year.

Shahna specialises in supporting people through narcissistic abuse, complex trauma and CPTSD, anxiety and stress, relationship difficulties, self-esteem concerns, and life transitions. She also works with issues such as grief, addictions, eating and sleeping problems, parenting and family challenges, and a broad range of emotional and behavioural concerns. Using mindfulness, experiential techniques, psychoeducation and skills-based approaches, she aims to help clients manage emotions, interrupt unhelpful patterns, and strengthen resilience.

Clients can expect a compassionate, non-judgmental therapeutic environment where exploration and insight are encouraged. Shahna emphasises collaborative work that seeks to heal past wounds and promote greater confidence, balance and wellbeing, tailoring interventions to each person’s needs and goals.

Approaches that inform online therapeutic support

Shahna Thurston blends client-centred therapy, DBT, and mindfulness-based work to support people online. Client-centred therapy focuses on understanding each person’s experience without judgement and helps build self-awareness, self-acceptance and personal growth - it is often useful for relationship issues, low self-esteem and life transitions. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is skills-focused and helps people regulate intense emotions, tolerate distress and improve interpersonal effectiveness, making it suited to anxiety, emotion dysregulation and complex trauma responses. Mindfulness therapy cultivates present-moment awareness and practical exercises for reducing reactivity and enhancing emotional balance, which can support stress, anxiety and coping with difficult feelings.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the therapeutic process; Shahna works collaboratively with each person to identify which methods fit their needs, goals and preferences and adapts the plan as therapy progresses. This collaborative stance helps clients feel involved and empowered in shaping their work together.

Online therapy with Shahna is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to access consistent support from licensed professionals without travel, allowing sessions to fit around work, family and other commitments while maintaining an ongoing therapeutic relationship.