Counselling in Leeds
Malik Rezzi
Psychotherapist, MSc, GMBPsS
Verified Verified
Leeds LS11
I was born and raised in multicultural societies all my life. Living in several different countries on 3 different continents (United Arab Emirates, Canada, Pakistan, Wales and England) has given me unique knowledge about culturally adapting therapy. It has also taught me to understand and work with many different kinds of people. I believe in building a strong therapeutic relationship with the client to create a safe and comfortable space to address and potentially alleviate psychological trauma. I have extensive experience adapting contemporary therapy and counselling and tailoring it to unique cultural nuances.
I was born and raised in multicultural societies all my life. Living in several different countries on 3 different continents (United Arab Emirates, Canada, Pakistan, Wales and England) has given me unique knowledge about culturally adapting therapy. It has also taught me to understand and work with many different kinds of people. I believe in building a strong therapeutic relationship with the client to create a safe and comfortable space to address and potentially alleviate psychological trauma. I have extensive experience adapting contemporary therapy and counselling and tailoring it to unique cultural nuances.
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Spirituality Counsellors
What should I expect from therapy that incorporates a focus on spirituality?
Spirituality can mean different things to different individuals, depending on their experiences, beliefs, and life histories. Some individuals focus on strengthening their belief system, while others experience spirituality in secular ways, such as through meditation, yoga, or by spending time in nature. Clients can expect a therapist to help guide and grow their spirituality through any of these techniques, encouraging the individual to cope with the challenges they face and develop strategies to build resilience and purpose to improve their outlook in life.
What are the most common treatments that include spirituality?
There are several treatments that incorporate spirituality. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) helps a person examine and reframe their negative thoughts and behaviours. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) focuses on emotional acceptance and psychological flexibility. Existential therapy is most often used to address anxiety, depression, grief, loneliness, apathy, despair, questions of identity, and feelings of purposelessness and existential dread. Transpersonal therapy focuses on a client’s spirituality and meaning in life and may incorporate techniques including meditation, visualisation, hypnotherapy, dream analysis, and or breathwork.
Can therapy incorporating spirituality help atheistic or agnostic individuals?
Yes. For non-believers, spirituality can offer benefits including a greater sense of connection to others and to the natural world. An interest in spirituality may also spur individuals to pursue mindfulness practices, or to contemplate their purpose in life and how to achieve it.
How effective is spirituality as a therapeutic remedy?
Research suggests spirituality is generally beneficial for individuals. It is correlated with better health habits, such as less substance use, and an improved capacity to cope with stress and other mental health challenges. Increased spirituality can lead individuals to become more empathic and less materialistic, as well.