Chandana Rathnayake , BACP, NCPS

Chandana Rathnayake has practised as a counsellor since 2013, beginning his clinical work in Malaysia and relocating to the United Kingdom in 2019. He combines formal training in psychology and counselling with a long personal history of contemplative practice, having lived as a Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka for twenty years. That formative period gave him a traditional education and life experience that he later integrated with professional counselling skills as he built a practice in the UK and beyond.

As a registered counsellor with the BACP and NCPS, Chandana works both clinically and as a mental health adviser for young adults in the higher education sector in the UK. The BACP is a professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists, and he is also registered with NCPS, reflecting his commitment to recognised standards of practice.

His counselling style draws on personal and professional influences to create a flexible, collaborative approach. He often adapts techniques from different traditions and encourages clients to use the life experience they bring into sessions as material for change. Difficult experiences such as loss, betrayal, overthinking and setbacks are treated as raw ingredients that can be reshaped into practical steps for rebuilding and growth.

Chandana is particularly suited to supporting people who are seeking purpose, motivation or direction in life, including career, education or spiritual questions. He also works with grief, major life changes, low self-esteem and patterns of self-attack. While he does not position himself as a couples therapist, individuals struggling in relationship areas have found his work helpful. He welcomes international clients and frames therapy as a mutual process that can be meaningful for both client and therapist.

Therapeutic approaches for online sessions

Chandana draws on client-centered therapy to create an accepting, non-judgmental space where the client’s own goals and values guide the work. This approach helps people who are seeking clarity, self-esteem and direction by privileging their perspective and pace.

He also uses existential therapy to explore questions of meaning, purpose and choice. This way of working can be useful for clients facing life transitions, uncertainty or a search for deeper motivation and life direction.

Chandana integrates Internal Family Systems ideas to help clients understand the different parts of themselves and how those parts influence emotions and behaviour. This approach can support work with trauma, self-criticism and complex inner conflicts.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the process and Chandana approaches this collaboratively. He will work with clients to determine which methods suit their needs, goals and preferences, making adjustments as therapy progresses.

Online therapy with Chandana is offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging. These options provide flexibility for people with busy schedules, geographical constraints or differing communication preferences, and make it possible to engage with a registered professional from a range of locations.