About Malik
Malik Akhtar helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, addiction or low mood. He is a counsellor with more than two decades of experience and works in English, Punjabi and Urdu. Malik offers both shorter-term and longer-term support and aims to make sessions practical and easy to follow.
He keeps the focus on the person in front of him. Conversations begin with what matters most to the individual and move at a pace they find comfortable.
How Malik works
Malik uses a client-centred stance to listen closely and respond without judgement, and draws on mindfulness exercises to help with anxious thoughts and emotional regulation. He also uses elements of existential thinking to help people make sense of life transitions and questions about purpose, and applies solution-focused tools to set small, achievable goals.
Motivational interviewing is used when someone wants to change behaviours such as drug or alcohol use or other habits that feel stuck. Across sessions Malik aims to be practical. He works on clearer thinking, coping strategies, routines for sleeping and eating, and ways to manage panic, intrusive thoughts or low self-worth.
He offers coaching-style support when someone wants help with career choices or life changes. Malik is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, shown as BACP. He has practised since 2002 and adapts his approach to what each person needs and prefers.
Many people value a straightforward, calm style and short, practical exercises they can use between sessions. Malik builds a plan with each person so they leave sessions with simple next steps.
Malik lists 5 ways of working on the entry:
What Malik works with
The areas below are the ones Malik selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
Also listed
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Career difficulties
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating disorders
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Jealousy
- Multicultural concerns
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Parenting issues
- Phobias
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sleeping disorders
- Trauma and abuse
Training and background
| Register | BACP |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 22 |
| Languages | English, Punjabi, Urdu |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | United Kingdom |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How Malik's Approaches Work Online
Client-centred therapy focuses on listening and building understanding from the person's perspective. Online sessions using this approach usually mean the counsellor follows the client's lead, reflects what they say and helps them make sense of their feelings and choices. This approach helps with anxiety, low mood and self-esteem concerns.Mindfulness-based work teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and ease anxious thoughts. Those exercises translate well to video or phone sessions and can be practised between contacts to support sleep, panic and stress management.
Motivational interviewing helps people who want to change behaviours but feel stuck. In remote sessions the counsellor asks focused questions, highlights strengths and helps the person find their own motivation for change, which is useful for drug and alcohol issues or other habits.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Malik will check what feels useful and adapt methods to match the client's goals and preferences. Together they decide whether to concentrate on practical goals, explore deeper life questions or combine short exercises with longer conversations.
Online formats offer practical benefits. Video calls let the counsellor use visual cues and guided exercises. Phone sessions work well when internet bandwidth is limited or for shorter check-ins. Live chat and text-based messaging suit people who prefer writing or need flexible check-ins during the day. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family and travel.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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