Ayaz Akhtar, BACP

Ayaz Akhtar is a BACP counsellor working in the United Kingdom. He has five years of experience supporting people facing stress, anxiety, depression and relationship struggles. He also helps those dealing with trauma, parenting pressures, career uncertainty and difficulties with sleep or self-esteem.

Ayaz aims to offer respectful, sensitive and non-judgemental care. He works together with each person to build understanding and find practical ways forward. Sessions are shaped to fit individual needs rather than a one-size-fits-all plan.

His approach draws on attachment-based ideas to look at how past relationships shape current patterns. He uses client-centred listening to make space for what matters most to the person in front of him. He also applies elements of dialectical behaviour therapy and psychodynamic thinking when these suit the goals of therapy.

Ayaz has spent time helping people after physical or emotional abuse and supporting those with mood disorders, ADHD, panic attacks and self-harm concerns. He also offers help for issues such as guilt, abandonment, dissociation, impulsivity and feelings of isolation.

Sessions are offered in English and Ayaz accepts international clients. He works online using video, phone, live chat or text messaging so people can choose the format that fits their life. The first step is to complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a session.

How Ayaz’s approaches work online

Ayaz commonly blends attachment-based work and client-centred listening to help people understand how early relationships influence current patterns. Attachment-based therapy looks at connection and trust; it can be useful for relationship difficulties, abandonment concerns and issues with intimacy. Client-centred therapy prioritises the person’s own goals and pace, giving space for them to lead the conversation and set priorities.

He also draws on dialectical behaviour therapy skills when people need ways to manage strong emotions and improve coping. DBT techniques offer practical tools for emotion regulation, distress tolerance and clearer communication. Together, these approaches give both a deeper sense of why things happen and concrete strategies to make life easier.

Finding the right way to work is part of therapy. Ayaz will discuss options with each person and decide together which approaches fit their needs, goals and preferences. That collaborative process makes it easier to try different techniques and adjust the plan as progress is made.

Online therapy lets people access sessions from wherever they are using video, phone, live chat or text messaging. Video calls are useful for face-to-face conversation, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited, live chat can fit quick check-ins, and text messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make therapy more flexible and easier to fit around work, family and daily life.