Sayma Arshad
Calm, practical person-centred therapy
About Sayma
Sayma Arshad works from an integrative, person-centred stance that combines practical tools and compassionate listening. She draws on cognitive-behavioural techniques alongside attachment and emotionally focused ideas to help people make sense of their feelings.
Sayma names warmth, patience and reliability as central to her style, and she aims to build trust in early sessions so people can speak openly about what matters to them. She has 13 years of experience in the mental health sector, including roles in the NHS, social services and charities.
Background and approach
That background means she is used to working with people facing depression, anxiety, trauma and complex life events. Sayma also has experience supporting people with ADHD, bereavement, relationship difficulties and work-related stress. In sessions she tailors the approach to each person.
Practical strategies from cognitive-behavioural work are offered alongside exploration of attachment patterns and emotional responses. Mindfulness techniques can be used to help with sleeping, anxiety and impulse control. Sayma trained as a social worker and holds BACP accreditation, which she notes as evidence of ethical practice.
Her experience includes supporting vulnerable people and other mental healthcare staff in frontline settings. She emphasises clear, compassionate listening and collaborative goal-setting. People who want straightforward, person-centred therapy may find her approach helpful.
She aims to walk alongside clients as they work through stress, grief, relationship hurt or changes in life circumstance. Early sessions focus on understanding immediate needs and agreeing practical steps together.
What Sayma works with
How Sayma works
Listed by Sayma among the ways they work.
Listed by Sayma among the ways they work.
Listed by Sayma among the ways they work.
Listed by Sayma among the ways they work.
Listed by Sayma among the ways they work.
Listed by Sayma among the ways they work.
Sessions & fees
How Sayma’s approaches adapt to online therapy
Sayma uses a blend of client-centred work and cognitive-behavioural approaches to shape online sessions. Client-centred therapy focuses on empathic listening and helping the person lead the pace of sessions, which can feel supportive when discussing sensitive topics. Cognitive-behavioural work offers concrete steps and exercises to manage anxiety, low mood or sleep problems, and these tasks transfer well to video or phone sessions.She also draws on attachment-based ideas to help people notice patterns in close relationships. This approach helps when people want to understand why they react strongly in certain relationships and to develop new ways of relating. Deciding which mix of approaches to use is collaborative; the therapist and client review what helps and adjust methods over time to match goals and preferences.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging. Video is useful for fuller face-to-face conversation and worked exercises. Phone calls can suit shorter check-ins or when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and messaging allow paced, written exchanges and quick touchpoints between longer sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family and travel while keeping the focus on practical progress.
| Session length | Typically 50 minutes |
|---|---|
| Client ages | Adults, 18 and over |
| Fees | Subscription via BetterHelp, cancel anytime |
| Insurance | Not billed directly |
Questions people ask
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Areas of focus
What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
Also listed
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Career difficulties
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Sleeping disorders
- Trauma and abuse
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 13 years
- Registered with
- BACP
- Languages
- English
