Maliha Salman

How I work

I integrate a range of counselling and psychotherapy models and approaches in my work, including person-centred, psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural therapies. From the outset, my aim is to understand you as a person and assess how my approach to therapy can meet your individual needs and preferences.

I believe that traumatic life events and past experiences relate to our thoughts and behaviours in the present. It is therefore my role to facilitate the process of uncovering how your inner world connects to your eating and/or body image issues, or current personal circumstances. In practice this could involve exploring your past relationships and childhood, alongside making sense of your present situation and the impact it is having on you. Once we have come to an understanding of the ins and outs of your personal life challenges, this can then be followed by an exploration of how you can make changes and adopt healthy coping mechanisms.

I will provide a warm and empathetic space for you to build self-awareness and process your thoughts and feelings so that you can make therapeutic change. I will gently challenge areas where I think you may be stuck or repeating unhelpful patterns in your life. In addition to this I may, if relevant, incorporate psychoeducation into sessions so that you can gain a sense of the psychological processes that may be playing out in your situation.  

My professional background

I am an integrative Counsellor and Psychotherapist (MSc) with over 8 years of experience in working therapeutically with adults, teenagers, and children. In the past I have worked as a therapist in a university counselling setting, primary and secondary schools, and an NHS counselling service. 

I am committed to continuing my professional development and regularly attend trainings and workshops to keep up to date with developments within the field. At present I am undertaking additional doctoral level training in Counselling Psychology. 

Alongside my work within eating and body image difficulties, I have special interests in the areas of self-esteem, identity, and cultural issues.

• 2023 (in competition) Doctorate in Counselling Psychology- Metanoia Institute 
• 2017 MSc Therapeutic Counselling- Greenwich University 
• 2011 BSc Psychology- Brunel University