Philam Nguyen Counsellor

I am a fully qualified counsellor with over 10 years of experience in private practice.

I have worked with organisations such as Mind, The Awareness Centre, Social Services, and the Prison Service.

My extensive knowledge of the mental health system spans more than 15 years, including working with young adults leaving care and with foster parents.

Due to my disability (Spina Bifida) and being of Asian origin; I have broad knowledge working with clients from diverse backgrounds due to lived and professional experience.

My therapeutic approach is integrative. This means I draw on several therapeutic models and schools of thought, adapting my approach to best meet the individual needs of each client. The core models that inform my practice are Person-Centred (Humanistic), Psychodynamic, and Existential therapy.

Although I am experienced in supporting clients with a wide range of issues, from general anxiety to suicidal ideation, my primary area of expertise is trauma.

“Trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being” (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], Trauma and Justice Strategic Initiative, 2012, p. 2).

Trauma can manifest in many different ways that affect everyday life. Many people are unaware that the symptoms they experience are rooted in unresolved trauma. As a counsellor, I bring both professional expertise and personal lived experience of trauma, both directly and through supporting loved ones. This combination allows me to offer compassionate, informed, and empathetic support to those navigating the impact of trauma.