Leyla Akaidere , BACP

Leyla Akaidere is a counsellor who helps people facing relationship strain, grief and depression. She works with clients navigating major life changes and the stresses that come with caring for others. Leyla speaks English and practises from the United Kingdom.

Leyla uses straightforward, evidence-based therapeutic techniques to help people clarify what matters to them. She believes clients are the experts in their own lives and looks for practical ways to build on strengths. Sessions tend to focus on clear goals and small steps that add up over time.

Her background includes three years working at a high intensity counselling level and earlier experience within NHS services. Leyla holds a Psychology degree and is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, or BACP.

Clients often bring concerns such as family tension, communication problems, abandonment issues, adoption and foster care matters, chronic illness and caregiver stress. She also supports people dealing with attachment difficulties, codependency, commitment doubts, and sexual subcultures including BDSM and kink.

In sessions Leyla listens carefully, reflects what she hears, and helps people develop realistic ways to cope. She aims to make therapy easy to fit into a busy life and to help clients move toward clearer choices and calmer days.

Therapeutic approaches and how online sessions work

Brief explanations of common evidence-based techniques can help people decide what might suit them. Cognitive-style approaches focus on identifying unhelpful thoughts and trying alternative ways of thinking; this can help with depression, worry and low mood. Behavioural strategies focus on small changes in actions and routines to rebuild energy and engagement; these are useful for coping with life changes and low motivation. Attachment-informed work looks at how early relationships shape current patterns and helps people try new ways of relating in close relationships.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will listen to your goals, try methods that fit your needs, and adjust techniques as you progress. You and the therapist work together to find what helps you feel steadier and better able to manage challenges.

Online therapy offers flexibility that can make it easier to get support. Video calls allow fuller conversations and visual connection. Phone sessions suit people who prefer not to be on camera or who have limited bandwidth. Live chat and text-based messaging are useful for shorter check-ins, more frequent contact, or when fitting therapy around a busy schedule. Registered or accredited professionals can adapt these formats to the pace and style you prefer, helping therapy fit into everyday life.