Boutaina Rahal , BACP

Boutaina Rahal offers calm, practical support for people facing worry and life changes. She focuses on everyday problems like stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, grief and relationship concerns. She speaks English and Arabic and brings 20 years of experience working with adults in the United Kingdom and abroad.

Boutaina practises counselling in a way that centres the person in front of her. Sessions aim to help people notice patterns, build coping skills, and find clearer ways to make decisions. She uses straightforward tools to reduce overwhelming feelings and to improve day-to-day functioning.

Her background includes work with trauma, abuse, depression and issues around identity and culture. She has supported people dealing with bereavement, parenting strain, intimacy questions, career stress and burnout. The focus is on small steps that add up to meaningful change.

Boutaina trained as a psychotherapist and is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - BACP. She also holds a certification in British Sign Language and is learning French and Spanish. Her bilingual skills can help those who prefer speaking Arabic or English.

People who choose Boutaina often want a respectful, collaborative relationship. She encourages clients to bring their own expertise about their life. Together they set clear goals and try practical ways to reach them, checking progress as they go.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and reflecting what matters to the person. It helps when someone needs a space to be heard and to make their own choices about change. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions and teaches practical tools for managing anxiety, low mood and stress. Emotionally-Focused Therapy pays attention to emotional bonds and feelings in relationships and can help people understand attachment or intimacy-related struggles.

Boutaina treats finding the right approach as a shared task. She will discuss which methods might suit a person's goals and try options together. Sessions evolve based on what is helpful, with regular check-ins to adjust pace and focus.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text messaging. Video calls are useful for face-to-face conversation when time or travel are obstacles. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text messaging can be helpful for shorter check-ins, brief coaching, or when fitting support into a busy day. Many people find these formats make it easier to keep therapy consistent while juggling work, family and other commitments.