Mandika Shah-Dhillon , BACP

Mandika Shah-Dhillon is a counsellor who helps people facing stress, anxiety, trauma, addictions, low mood and life changes. She supports issues including relationship difficulties, grief, eating and sleeping concerns, self-esteem, parenting strains and LGBT-related challenges. Mandika works with people who feel overwhelmed or unsure where to begin and aims to offer a calm, steady place to start.

She trained in Person-Centred Counselling and the Psychotherapeutic Relationship at the University of Warwick. Mandika holds BACP accreditation and is finishing an MSc in Psychology of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Her background includes private practice, university mental health services, addiction support and crisis roles over four years.

Mandika’s style is warm, relational and intuitive. Sessions begin where the client is - even if they do not have clear words. She listens closely and helps people name what’s happening and make small, practical changes that feel manageable.

Her work draws on client-centred principles alongside cognitive behavioural ideas and trauma-aware techniques. Mindfulness and psychodynamic thinking also shape how she understands patterns and emotional responses. This blended approach means sessions can include reflective conversation, practical coping ideas and attention to deeper patterns.

People meet her for short-term focused work or for longer exploration of recurring patterns. She aims to create steady, grounded sessions that help clients feel heard and begin to make sense of difficult experiences. If someone wants to explore next steps, Mandika guides planning and pacing together.

Approaches that steer online therapy

Mandika uses client-centred ideas to place the person’s experience at the heart of therapy. This means conversations focus on what matters to the client, with the counsellor reflecting back and helping people find their own direction. It is helpful for those feeling unsure, overwhelmed or wanting clearer self-understanding.

She also draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions. CBT helps with anxiety, low mood, sleep problems and practical coping strategies that can be tried between sessions. Trauma-aware practice is another strand she brings in, which pays attention to how past harm affects present reactions and supports gradual recovery.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and the pace that feels right, then adjust methods as needed. That collaborative planning means sessions can be short-term and focused or more open-ended depending on what helps.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls let people see and hear their counsellor for a fuller conversation. Phone sessions need less bandwidth and can fit into a busy day. Live chat and text-based messaging suit quick check-ins, shorter reflections or when typing feels easier than speaking. These options make it possible to keep therapy consistent around work, family and other commitments.