Counsellor profile
Mandika Shah-Dhillon, BACP
BACP counsellor - Family and parenting concerns
Continue with MandikaAbout
- Person-centred approach
- Cognitive behavioural ideas
- Trauma-aware practice
About Mandika
Mandika Shah-Dhillon is a BACP-registered counsellor with four years' experience based in the United Kingdom. She works with people feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, depression, and the strains of parenting and family life. Mandika also supports those dealing with relationship and intimacy issues, grief, eating and sleeping difficulties, and challenges linked to ADHD and bipolar conditions.
She trained in Person-Centred Counselling and the Psychotherapeutic Relationship at the University of Warwick and is completing an MSc in Psychology of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Her background includes roles in private practice, university mental health services, addiction support and crisis work. Those roles influence how she approaches sessions today.
Mandika describes her work as relational and person-centred. Sessions tend to slow things down and focus on the person in front of her rather than a checklist of symptoms. She uses a mixture of client-centred listening, cognitive behavioural ideas, mindfulness, psychodynamic thinking and trauma-focused practice when helpful.
In a session she will often start by helping a person name what feels most urgent. Conversations then move at a steady pace to look at patterns, memories or practical coping steps. She aims to help people find clearer ways to handle everyday pressures and difficult moments at home.
People who come because of family or parenting strains can expect practical discussion alongside reflective work. Mandika's experience with addiction and crisis settings means she is used to supporting people through strong emotions and sudden life changes.
How sessions work
How Mandika uses therapeutic approaches online
Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and understanding. The therapist pays close attention to what a person says and reflects it back, helping the person make clearer sense of their feelings and choices. This approach is helpful for people who feel unsure where to start or need steady support while sorting out family or parenting concerns.Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions. It gives practical strategies to test unhelpful thoughts and change small behaviours that make daily life harder. CBT tools can help with anxiety, low mood, sleep problems and managing stress at home.
Mandika aims to work collaboratively to find the best-fit approach. She will discuss goals, preferences and which methods feel most useful, and adapt the mix as the work progresses. Finding the right method is treated as a joint process rather than a one-time decision.
Session formats are not specified here, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy around work, childcare or appointments and can reduce travel time. They also allow for shorter check-ins when time is limited, or sessions without video when bandwidth is low. Registered or accredited professionals often use these practical benefits to help people keep therapy manageable alongside daily life.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
4+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What sorts of problems does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and related issues such as relationship strain, parenting pressures and grief.
How would she work with my parenting stress?
She combines person-centred listening with practical steps from cognitive behavioural and mindfulness approaches to address everyday parenting pressures.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is relational and steady, using listening and reflection alongside techniques from CBT, mindfulness and trauma-aware practice.
How much experience does she have?
She has four years' experience working in private practice, university mental health services, addiction support and crisis roles.
What are her professional credentials and where is she based?
She is registered with the BACP and works from the United Kingdom.
Which languages are supported and can she work with people abroad?
Sessions are offered in English and she does not accept international clients at this time.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the counsellor supplied to BetterHelp. A registration can be checked with the body that issued it.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.