Summar Ali, BACP

Summar Ali offers calm, practical support for people feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, addiction, grief or big life changes. She welcomes enquiries from individuals exploring relationship and intimacy issues, parenting strains, career doubts, ADHD-related concerns and questions around identity and sexual expression. Clients usually find straightforward talking, steady pacing and clear next steps helpful in sessions with her.

She works in a warm, non-judgemental way and focuses on what each person needs in the moment. Sessions are conversational and collaborative. The therapist listens, reflects what she hears and helps people try new ways of managing thoughts, feelings and behaviour.

Summar draws on a mix of approaches to suit individual needs. She uses cognitive behavioural ideas to spot unhelpful thinking patterns and practical skills from dialectical behaviour therapy to manage intense emotions. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps with values and committed action, while attachment-informed work looks at how early relationships shape current patterns.

Her background includes more than 11 years working across the NHS, schools, bereavement and drug and alcohol services. She has supported people affected by sexual trauma and has taught trainees at university level and at the Anna Freud Centre. That range has shaped a flexible, realistic style that suits people coping with complex or multiple concerns.

Summar holds a BA in Counselling and Psychotherapy and several postgraduate certificates, including supervisory skills and evidence-based interventions for children and young people. She is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, uses English for sessions, and works with people in the United Kingdom and beyond.

How therapy approaches translate online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages people to notice difficult thoughts and feelings while choosing actions that match their values. It helps with anxiety, low mood and decisions about life direction. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings and behaviours connect and teaches practical steps to change unhelpful patterns, useful for anxiety, depression and stress. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationships shape current connections and can help with trust, intimacy and communication difficulties.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss options, try things out and adapt methods to match the client's needs, goals and preferences. That collaborative process helps people feel more confident about which tools to use and when to shift direction.

Online therapy offers flexibility and fits into busy lives. Video calls let visual cues guide the conversation; phone sessions can be simpler when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat or text-based messaging can suit people who prefer writing to speaking or who want ongoing brief check-ins between sessions. These formats make it easier to book around work, family and travel, while still using the same therapeutic approaches and exercises discussed in sessions.