Dr. Lavina Ahuja

She is originally an Indian national and being born and brought up in Dubai, well aware of the culture and values of the country. For almost a decade or more she had lived and worked in different countries in the world, including studied and had worked in Canada, United Kingdom and Dubai. She is fluent in English, Hindi, Urdu and Sindhi and offer consultancy in the same.

She has been working with individuals, couples and families with a wide range of mental health and/or relationship issues. In the UK, She has worked for several years in a primary health-care set-up, where she was conducting short-term cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety, depression, relationship issues, self-esteem and self-worthlessness issues. She has also worked with couples at Relate UK and practiced Systemic Therapy and Transactional Analysis models. She has been trained and been using and teaching mindfulness techniques, especially mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy (MBCT).

In her work with individuals she has worked extensively with individuals with anxiety and relationship issues; while in her work with couples, she has worked extensively with couples from a middle eastern-eastern cultural background as well as western cultural clients. she has also been working for communication and conflict resolution issues, helping couples learn, how to effectively connect and communicate with each other, especially when in relationship crisis, like infidelity issues, mistrust, ill health stresses and stress of raising children with different sets of believes and values from the partner.

She believes in a supportive, empathic and non-judgmental therapeutic environment in which we can learn, uncover and explore issues and move towards resolution and personal growth.

She practice an integrative therapeutic model, with a core philosophy of Client-Centered psychotherapy, which means, she believes that provided the right environment and a good therapeutic relationship, we can overcome most difficult issues and grow. Her core philosophy is integrated with psychodynamic models and other models, like Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused therapy, Transactional Analysis, Systemic Therapy, Mindfulness and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Her knowledge and experience in a number of different approaches has allowed her the flexibility and skills to tailor therapeutic interventions to help clients to learn and grow, while keeping in mind their individual needs.”

Qualifications

• PhD. in Counseling Psychology ( Psy.D), University of Teesside, United Kingdom (2008 - 2010)
• Post-graduate Diploma in Counseling Psychology, University of Teesside, United Kingdom (2007 - 2008)
• Summer Intesive Foundation Course, Regent's College, United Kingdom (2007)
• Honors Bachelor of Science (in Psychology and Anthropology), University of Toronto, Canada (2001 - 2006)
• Bachelor of Science, Center of American Education, Dubai, UAE (2000 - 2001)