Background
I arrived in the UK from Iran in the summer of 1978, as a child, and ended up staying for reasons that were beyond my understanding at the time. I went to school, college, and followed my childhood love for art, attending art school and graduating from the Royal College of Art with a master's degree in Furniture Design. I spent over 30 years working within the art and design industries.
During those years, I was employed, ran various design companies, became a partner, a mother, and, like most of us, encountered love, loss, and change.
Over time, my curiosity about what it means to be human, to create, to connect, to find meaning, led me towards therapy. What began as a personal search for understanding became a new vocation.
Qualifications & Training
I hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Humanistic Counselling & Psychotherapy (Level 7) with a Person-Centred focus, along with specialist training in bereavement support through Cruse and an understanding of children and young people's mental health.
Before retraining as a therapist, I studied at the Royal College of Art, where I completed a master's degree in Furniture Design.
I bring to my practice not only my formal training, but decades of lived experience as a woman, an immigrant, a daughter, a mother, a divorcee, and a creative professional. I have known birth and miscarriage, betrayal and trust, the othering that comes with being an immigrant and the particular challenges of navigating life between cultures.
This intersectionality, these multiple lenses through which I see and understand the world, informs how I meet you in the therapy room. I don't see your struggles as problems to be solved, but as human experiences to be understood within the full context of who you are.
Experience & Professional Practice
I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and work in accordance with their Ethical Framework. This ensures that my practice is grounded in integrity, respect and a commitment to your wellbeing.
I maintain professional indemnity insurance and engage in regular clinical supervision, as well as ongoing professional development in areas including grief and bereavement, suicide awareness, menopause, OCD, neurodiversity and more.
Current & Recent Practice:
I currently work in private practice, offering one-to-one counselling to clients experiencing anxiety, depression, bereavement, relationship difficulties, life transitions, identity exploration and neurodivergence.
I have also worked with the NHS Staff Psychological Service, supporting healthcare workers experiencing occupational stress, burnout, anxiety, bereavement and personal difficulties.
Since 2022, I have been a volunteer counsellor with Cruse Bereavement Support, providing telephone and remote support to people navigating grief and loss.
Professional Endorsements:
"Nazanin is compassionate, genuine and professional, and her practice is grounded in care, curiosity and respect. Her non-judgmental, open acceptance and ability to stay with her client's distress means she is able to impact her clients' lives."
Sarah Hill, Humanistic Counsellor, MBACP
"Nazanin is a warm, insightful, and skilled therapist whose steady presence helps clients feel truly seen and understood. Her blend of insight and empathy supports people to create meaningful change in their lives."
Violet Black, Psychodynamic Counsellor, MBACP