Malik Akhtar

Malik Akhtar is a counsellor who helps people manage strong feelings such as anger, stress and anxiety. He works with adults facing addiction, relationship strain, grief, depression and life changes. His approach aims to make conversations straightforward and focused on what the person needs now.

He qualified as a person-centred counsellor in 2002 and is a BACP member, which means he follows the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy's ethical framework. He offers both short and longer-term work and adapts his style to what the person prefers and finds helpful. Sessions often begin with what is most pressing and then move to practical steps.

Malik describes his practice as integrative, drawing on several approaches to match each person's situation. Techniques from mindfulness and solution-focused work are used alongside client-centred listening and motivational interviewing. This mix helps with motivation, managing emotions and finding small changes that make a day easier.

He also pays attention to cultural background and identity in therapy, and can work in English, Punjabi or Urdu. The overall aim is to help people build coping strategies, improve sleep and eating patterns, and reduce the grip of worry or anger on daily life.

People who choose his practice usually want clear conversations and practical steps. Malik encourages a collaborative process where the person shapes the focus and pace of therapy.

How Malik uses approaches online and in sessions

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on careful listening and reflecting back what matters to the person, helping them feel heard and make sense of difficult emotions. It is useful for anger, grief and confidence issues.

Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple ways to notice thoughts and bodily feelings without being swept away by them, which can reduce reactivity and help with stress and sleep problems. Solution-Focused Therapy looks for small, practical changes and goals that can make daily life easier and boost motivation.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work and is explored together. The counsellor will ask about goals, what has helped before, and what fits the person's life so they can try approaches that suit their needs and preferences.

Confirm the available session formats before booking, as current options are set by the practice. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy around work or family commitments, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Many people find this helps them keep sessions regular and apply new skills between meetings.