Dr. Shradha Billawa , DCounsPsych (UK)

I became a psychologist because I am drawn to how people share themselves with others - what makes that easy, what makes it hard, and what changes when someone finally feels able to be honest. Having grown up moving between different cultures and value systems, I understand how much of ourselves we can end up hiding, and how stigma and shame shape what we allow ourselves to ask for help with. 

I am a UK-trained Counselling Psychologist, and over the past decade I have worked across the NHS, private practice and higher education settings, in both the UK and UAE. I have experience of supporting adults and adolescents facing a broad range of difficulties, from everyday stress and low mood to anxiety disorders, trauma and low self-worth, as well as those navigating major life transitions and questions of identity. I also bring experience working with marginalised communities and within clinical health services, where physical and psychological difficulties often intertwine. Alongside this, I have a particular interest in women's health, especially where it meets hormone health, neurodivergence and identity.

My approach is integrative and trauma-informed, drawing on Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Narrative Therapy, and I aim to work in ways that are culturally responsive and neuroaffirming throughout. Underneath all of this, what matters most to me is what therapy actually leads to for you, whether that is a specific goal you have come in with, or something less defined, like recognising your own patterns, feeling less at odds with yourself, or meeting future difficulties from a more grounded place within yourself.

Works with Clients:
Adolescents (15 yrs+), Adults (18 yrs+)

Languages:
English, Tulu

Services Offered

• Individual Therapy
• Psychometric Assessement

Treatment Approaches

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT)
• EMDR
• Integrative Therapy
• Narrative Therapy

Presenting Concerns

General Concerns:

• Personal growth and self-improvement

• Stress

• Anxiety

• Panic attacks

• Low mood or depression

• Adjustment to recent life events or circumstances (not trauma)

Specific Concerns:

• Anger

• Irritability

• Emotional outbursts and severe moodswings

• Situation-specific fear and phobias

• Obsessive, repetitive and ritualistic thinking and behaviour

• Sexual functioning and sexual performance

• Sexuality and gender identity

Relationship Concerns:

• General dissatisfaction or improvement of romantic relationships

• Non-romantic and non-familial relationship concerns

• Family and family relationship concerns

• Affairs, infidelity and intimacy-related concerns in romantic relationships

Women's Wellbeing:

• PMS, hormonal fluctuations and related concerns
• Menopause and female life
  transitions
• Pregnancy, IVF, fertility and pre/post-natal concerns
  
  
   

Trauma:

• Trauma or traumatic events (past or historic)

Qualifications & Memberships

• Doctorate in Counselling Psychology (DCounsPsych), University of East London, UK
• Postgraduate Diploma in Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, University of Surrey, UK
• MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of York, UK
• BSc in Psychology, Birmingham City University, UK
• Registered with the Health Professionals Council (HCPC), UK
• Registered with the Community Development Authority (CDA), UAE