BERKANA THERAPEUTICS
My Story
Almost all therapists start working in this field because they have experienced aspects of the darker side of life, including trauma and serious mental health problems, and I'm no exception. As distressing as these things are, they have given me a huge amount of empathy and understanding for people who are still in this dark place, which can't be felt by those who have never been there. It's also given me hope that, no matter how bad things have become or how hopeless you may feel, healing is possible for everyone.
I qualified with a Diploma in Counselling from Glasgow Clyde College in 2021 and passed my Certificate of Proficiency that year, allowing me to become a registered member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (member no. 391490). During my training, I counselled people who had recently left prison, and also worked as a spiritual counsellor for religious centres. Since then I have worked full time as a therapist, with over 1500 clinical hours, and each client's journey is important, unique, and sacred.
LGBTQIA+ Clients
I specialise in working with clients from the LGBTQIA+ community, and have particular experience with trans and nonbinary clients, and those in poly/kink communities. This is a chronically underserved community in therapy spaces and the unique needs and struggles of this demographic are sometimes poorly understood. I work with clients at all stages of transition, from closeted to out and proud, and approach this topic from the viewpoint of radical inclusion and gender deconstruction.
Trauma
Trauma affects the mind and body in profound ways that can have a serious impact on a person's ability to feel safe even after the traumatic situation has passed. Healing from trauma therefore requires a holistic approach that centres the body in processing and recovery..
Obsessive compulsive disorder and Borderline personality disorder
I have personal lived experience of these conditions, which can be deeply debilitating to those who suffer from them.
With OCD, the root cause of the underlying obsession should be explored, rather than the compulsion. I especially work with "pure O" or rumination OCD, where a person compulsively dwells on unproductive thought spirals.
BPD is frequently stigmatised and misunderstood even among mental health professionals. I approach this complex issue from a place of empathy, compassion and nonjudgement.
Boundary setting
It is impossible to have good mental health without the ability to set healthy boundaries. Self-help media seems to imply that this should be easy, but in fact this is a complex process that many people struggle with. I love empowering people to learn how to set healthy boundaries in their relationships and lives, and to better understand the boundaries of others.