Noreen Akhtar

• Stress and anxiety
• Trauma and grief
• CBT and ACT methods

About Noreen

Noreen Akhtar helps people who are coping with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, low self-esteem, depression, relationship and family difficulties, anger and major life changes. She uses direct conversation and practical strategies to help people manage symptoms and make clearer choices. Noreen is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS). She has seven years' experience working in the field.

Noreen draws on a mix of approaches in sessions. She uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques to identify unhelpful thought patterns and to try different behaviours. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) ideas are used to help people notice thoughts without being controlled by them and to clarify personal values.

Her work also includes attachment-based perspectives, which look at how early relationships shape current patterns, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) skills to support emotion regulation and distress tolerance. Client-Centred Therapy informs the way she listens, with an emphasis on the client's own experience and pace.

Noreen has particular additional focus on abandonment, adoption and foster care, attachment issues, fertility and family of origin concerns. She also works with people affected by chronic illness, cancer, chronic pain, bereavement and separation.

Sessions involve talking through immediate concerns, practising specific skills and setting small, achievable goals between meetings. People can expect practical, structured work alongside time to reflect on feelings and relationships.

How Noreen uses psychological approaches in online counselling

Noreen commonly draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. CBT focuses on spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing different behaviours to change how people feel. ACT helps people notice thoughts and feelings without getting swept away, and to identify what matters to them in order to make values-based choices.

She also uses attachment-based ideas in sessions to understand how early relationship patterns affect current reactions and relationships. That perspective can help with issues like trust, abandonment concerns and repeated relationship difficulties. Throughout, client-centred principles guide the way she listens and responds so sessions stay focused on the person’s experience.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Noreen will discuss options with each person and agree a plan that fits their needs, goals and preferences. This is a collaborative process and may involve trying different techniques over time.

Session formats are not listed in the profile, so confirm available options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit counselling around daily life, for example by avoiding travel, allowing shorter check-ins during a busy day, or reducing the need to be on camera when that is difficult. Registered or accredited professionals can adapt session structure to suit practical needs and therapy goals.

Topics Noreen lists

• Stress and anxiety
• Trauma and abuse
• Grief
• Self-esteem
• Depression
• Relationship issues
• Family conflicts
• Anger management
• Coping with life changes
• Compassion fatigue
• Abandonment
• Adoption and foster care
• Aging and geriatric issues
• Attachment issues
• Cancer
• Chronic pain, illness, and disability
• Communication problems
• Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
• Dissociation
• Divorce and separation
• Domestic violence
• Emptiness
• Family of origin issues
• Family problems
• Fertility issues
• First responder issues
• Forgiveness
• Guilt and shame
• Hoarding
• Hospice and end-of-life counselling
• Immigration issues
• Isolation and loneliness
• Life purpose
• Midlife crisis
• Mood disorders
• Multicultural concerns
• Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
• Panic disorder and panic attacks
• Phobias
• Postpartum depression
• Post-traumatic stress
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Prejudice and discrimination
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• Self-harm
• Self-love
• Sexual assault and abuse
• Social anxiety and phobia
• Traumatic brain injury
• Women's issues
• Workplace issues
• Young adult issues

Ways of working

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Attachment-Based Therapy
• Client-Centred Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
• Existential Therapy
• Mindfulness Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing
• Narrative Therapy
• Psychodynamic Therapy
• Solution-Focused Therapy
• Somatic Therapy
• Trauma-Focused Therapy

Questions about Noreen

Does she work with anxiety and stress?

Yes. Noreen supports people dealing with anxiety and stress using practical strategies from CBT and DBT.

What kind of counselling does she offer?

She mixes Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based and Client-Centred approaches, plus DBT skills where helpful.

How much experience does she have?

Noreen has seven years' experience working in counselling and psychotherapy.

Is she registered with a professional body in the UK?

Yes. She is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS).

Which languages are sessions offered in?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can international clients work with her?

Yes. She accepts international clients.

What formats are available for sessions?

Please confirm the current session options before booking, as formats are not specified in the profile.

How are fees charged and how do I start?

Fees vary with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time. To begin, use the Talk to a counsellor online button, complete the short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.