Sunah Akhtar , BACP

Sunah Akhtar is a BACP-registered psychotherapist based in the United Kingdom who brings nine years of clinical experience to her practice. She works from The Awareness Centre in Clapham and has developed a broad skill set through a four-year placement at WeStand and Renaissance Horizon, where she provided emotional support and therapeutic intervention for diverse client needs.

Her approach blends evidence-based methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), attachment-based work, and client-centered principles to create tailored treatment plans. Sunah focuses on supporting people through stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and family difficulties, addictions, grief, and a range of other concerns including ADHD, bipolar challenges, eating and sleeping problems, and career or life transitions.

Sunah emphasises empathy, acceptance, and collaboration, aiming to help clients build healthier mindsets, improve emotional regulation, and reconnect with personal values. She works with intimacy-related issues, LGBT concerns, parenting and blended-family dynamics, as well as more specific areas such as abandonment, adoption and foster care, caregiving stress, chronic illness, and body image. Her clinical style is person-centered and solution-focused, supporting both short-term goals and ongoing personal development.

Alongside clinical work, Sunah’s interest in social entrepreneurship has informed her understanding of resilience and adaptability, and she brings that perspective into therapy to help people cultivate compassion, strengthen coping strategies, and pursue meaningful change.

Therapeutic approaches and flexible online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients clarify their values and take committed action toward a meaningful life while learning to observe difficult thoughts without being overwhelmed by them. It is often useful for stress, anxiety, and motivation-related challenges. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on understanding early relationship patterns and how they shape current connections, helping people address relationship difficulties, attachment wounds, and intimacy concerns. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers practical strategies to identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours, which can reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and panic and improve day-to-day functioning.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Sunah works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. Together the client and therapist review progress and adapt the plan so treatment remains relevant and effective.

Online therapy with Sunah is available by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make ongoing care more accessible for people balancing work, family, or geographical constraints, and support continuity of therapy when in-person sessions are not possible.