Shagufta Qadir, BACP

Shagufta Qadir is a counsellor in the United Kingdom with seven years of professional experience. She works with people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, addictions, low self-esteem and relationship concerns. She speaks English and Urdu and encourages people to take the first step towards a more satisfying life.

Shagufta believes clients know their own stories best. She focuses on strengths and helps people use those strengths to move past whatever feels stuck. Sessions aim to build motivation, improve confidence and tackle practical next steps rather than only talking about problems.

Her approach draws on attachment-based ideas and client-centred practice to create a respectful working relationship. Cognitive behavioural techniques and solution-focused strategies are used when they fit the person’s goals. Motivational interviewing supports people who are ready to change habits or work through addictions.

Shagufta often helps people manage grief, trauma and intimacy-related concerns in straightforward ways. She also supports those facing career stress, caregiving pressures, chronic illness or body image worries. People contact her for help with parenting strain, relationship communication and coping with major life changes.

Practical steps in sessions include setting short-term goals, trying small behaviour changes and reviewing what helps. The emphasis is on clarity and steady progress. To start, she asks people to share what matters most and then works with them to plan achievable steps.

How her approaches translate to online work

The therapist draws on attachment-based work and client-centred practice to build a trusting relationship. Attachment-based ideas focus on how early patterns of relating affect current relationships and can help people address intimacy, abandonment and communication issues. Client-centred counselling places the person at the heart of the work and uses active listening and reflection to clarify priorities and feelings.

Cognitive behavioural therapy offers practical tools to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. It can help with anxiety, depression, sleep, eating concerns and managing mood swings by setting small, testable tasks and reviewing results together. These approaches are used collaboratively so the person and therapist decide what fits best for the goals at hand.

Many people find online work makes it easier to fit therapy into daily life, for example by avoiding travel, fitting sessions around work or using a shorter check-in when time is tight. The exact session formats are not listed in the biography, so please confirm the available options before booking. The therapist will help match the therapeutic approach and session plan to the person’s needs and preferences through discussion at the first appointment.