Dr Zara Irani

I will to the best of my ability try to offer flexible times for your therapy, appreciating the demands of work and family life. I do work consecutive weekly sessions that last 60/90 mins, with scope for extended appointments when mutually agreed upon.

When I do schedule breaks into my calendar, I give reasonable notice (please see terms on my website).

My services include in person, online and outdoor therapy, all of which can be integrated in accordance with your psychological need/circumstances.  I am trained and qualified in all of these therapeutic approaches, and seek regular Supervision to maintain working within the guidelines of the professional memberships I have. I also hold an up to date DBS certificate. 

Transactional Analysis (TA) is my main psychotherapeutic modality, with additional training in Perinatal distress (which incorporates all aspects of maternal mental health); neurodivergence, and Couples and Family therapies. I have a doctorate that was concerned with the psychological implications of change, focusing on the body and its environment. The research integrated Sculpture, Freud, Social Anthropology and Ecology. I am also a classically trained dancer and qualified Yoga (Yin and Hatha) teacher. I enjoy moving my body and thinking creatively.

My advanced and in-depth training allows me to have a systemic and relational approach to working clinically. It is a profession that holds great importance to me. 

TA is the study of personality and communication, which seeks to help us develop an awareness and means of understanding ourselves and one another. It is a modality concerned with creating positive change. TA therapists devise treatment plans, and this is something you and I decide on together with scope to adapt as necessary. 

It will take time for trust and a sense of safety to develop. This helps to create a therapeutic working alliance, and for relational depth and greater understanding of self to be encountered and integrated. We will explore your past (not forgetting the intergenerational/cultural aspects of who you are) in order to identify important relational patterns present in your current life. By investing in a greater self awareness there will be scope to meaningfully inform your future being/relationships.

I have certifications in Trauma-Focused Therapy, a specialised form of therapy designed to help those who have experienced profound trauma. My aim is to provide clients with the tools and strategies to effectively cope with, process, and understand the emotions and memories linked to traumatic experiences. Ultimately, this type of therapy aims to support and grow a new, healthier perspective on traumatic experiences.

Initially, I will try to understand why you’re seeking therapy, what prompted you to seek therapy now, and the issues you’d like to address in our work together. I’ll also ask what you’ve done to manage your mental health in the past. We will talk through what worked and didn’t, so I can build an understanding of how best I can support you.

As our work develops we will explore your thought, feelings and behaviour to better understand your relationship with self and others. From here I will develop a treatment plan that will focus on supporting your therapeutic goal. This will be co-created (collaborated on between Therapist and Client).   

The use of the title Dr in this directory listing relates to the member’s doctorate qualification (PhD). However, this does not imply a general medical qualification.

I offer an initial 15 min complementary session (which has scope to be extended for a small fee, to 60 mins should you feel this suits your needs better). This online or in person appointment will give you an opportunity to express your situation and gain a sense of me, while I support the process and assess if I am able to offer treatment. This meeting will allow us to discuss my administration contract, my working methods (both available on my website), and our respective thoughts on working together. The decision is then left for you to make, with no follow up calls/text by me to influence your thoughts and feelings. 

Should we mutually choose to work together, some details will be collected (in accordance with data protection laws) during the early stage of your sessions, so I may understand your present/historical details. If you are a couple I will ask you both to independently complete an assessment form to gather information about you and your partnership. 

I offer a dedicated confidential space for sessions which is quiet and comfortable. I work with people across the full spectrum of race, gender and sexual orientation including LGBTQIA+. I endeavour to make my practice a safe, creative and inclusive environment where questions, ideas and responses are encouraged. My practice affirms neurodiversity.