Zarmeena Afridi

Zarmeena Afridi is a practitioner psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council UK (HCPC). She has more than 15 years of experience supporting people through depression, trauma, anxiety, phobias, grief and bereavement. Her work emphasises empathy and practical help so people can find clearer ways forward.

She has worked in hospitals, community programmes, emergency response teams, substance misuse and rehabilitation services, and in research and public health. Those roles have given her a broad view of how different life circumstances affect wellbeing. She draws on this variety of experience when tailoring care to each person.

Her practice uses established approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, solution-focused methods and mindfulness techniques. Sessions aim to identify useful strategies and test small changes that can reduce distress. Therapy is collaborative, with the person’s goals guiding each step.

She also names personal experience of loss, grief and anxiety as part of what informs her work. That perspective shapes a compassionate, steady style in sessions. People are treated as individuals with strengths to build on, not problems to be fixed.

Zarmeena works with issues common around life transitions, stress, panic and mood problems, and with trauma-related difficulties. She supports people to explore meaning, manage symptoms and build practical coping skills they can use day to day.

How her approaches work online

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and following the person’s lead. The therapist offers understanding and reflects what matters most to the individual so they can find their own solutions. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings and actions interact. It uses short exercises and tried techniques to change unhelpful patterns and reduce symptoms such as panic, anxiety or low mood. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce stress and improve mood by training awareness of the present moment.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Zarmeena will discuss goals, try methods that match those aims, and adjust as needed. That collaborative process helps decide whether more practical CBT tasks, mindfulness skill-building or a person-led client-centred way suits best.

If you are considering online therapy, check the session options before booking so you know what formats are offered. Many people find online sessions easier to fit around work, childcare and travel, and they can make regular check-ins simpler. Online work also supports brief focused exercises, homework between sessions and steady progress without needing to rearrange large parts of life.