Hi! I’m Bina and I'm a Clinical Psychologist.

 

Can you tell me a bit about your background?

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I have worked in mental health for over ten years and have worked with adults across the lifespan, children and families who have experienced a range of difficulties, in both community and inpatient settings.

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I completed my doctorate in clinical psychology at the University of Hertfordshire and currently work in a specialist NHS service for people with learning disabilities. I also have a special interest in working with people with psychosis and unusual experiences and much of my pre-training experience was in this area. 

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As a South-Asian woman, I am very aware of the perceptions about mental health in many cultures and communities. These can often make it difficult for people to openly access support and therapy for their wellbeing. It is important to me to help others work through some of these barriers that may stop them from receiving the appropriate support to enhance their wellbeing. I believe that providing a safe therapeutic space where people of colour can openly and non-judgmentally talk about their challenging experiences that impact their day-to-day life is of paramount importance. 

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What will it be like when I meet you?

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We will spend some time getting to know each other to create a safe and relaxed space, to help you talk freely about your experiences. We may talk about what has brought you to therapy, as well as what is important to you and what you would like from the sessions. I will be interested in hearing about different aspects of your life, but there will be no pressure to talk about anything that you do not feel comfortable sharing at our first meeting – I believe taking things at your pace is really important in building a trusting therapeutic relationship.

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What types of therapy do you use and what kind of difficulties do you help people with?

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I offer individual therapy, as well as working with families to help them overcome difficulties with anxiety, low mood, stress, adverse life experiences, relationship and/or family difficulties, psychosis or unusual experiences.

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I have training in a range of therapies including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp), Systemic Therapy, Narrative approaches, Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). I often use an integrated approach, which involves using more than one of the above therapies depending on the needs and goals of an individual or family.

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What do you enjoy outside of psychology?

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I enjoy keeping fit and especially love dancing! I like experimenting with food and cooking, as well as spending time with my family and friends. I also enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles and Sudoku.