Dr. Pegah Houshmand, HCPC

Dr. Pegah Houshmand is an HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologist based in the United Kingdom, holding a Doctorate in Counselling Psychology. Her clinical work spans the NHS and private practice, and she draws on over 11 years of professional experience to support people through challenging life transitions and persistent emotional difficulties. The HCPC credential indicates registration with the Health and Care Professions Council, the regulator for practitioner psychologists in the UK.

Her approach is integrative and tailored, combining evidence-based methods to meet each person’s particular needs and goals. Therapy with Dr. Houshmand is collaborative - she works with people to clarify what matters to them and to build practical, sustainable strategies for emotional recovery and growth. She aims to create a compassionate, non-judgmental space where difficult experiences can be explored and personal strengths can be developed.

Dr. Houshmand has supported people with a wide range of issues, including depression, anxiety, trauma and PTSD, bereavement, relationship difficulties, OCD, panic attacks, agoraphobia, addiction, and abuse. She also has a special interest in eating disorders and in helping clients develop healthier ways of managing stress and emotions. In addition to work with adults and couples, she has training with Place2Be and experience with children and young people, using creative and play-based approaches for younger clients and offering sessions for parents to reflect on their child’s needs and development.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice unhelpful patterns of thinking and make space for valued actions - it supports living in line with what matters even when difficult emotions are present and is often helpful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on relationship patterns formed early in life and explores how these affect current connections; it can be useful for relationship difficulties, intimacy-related issues, and trauma-related relational concerns. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a warm, non-judgmental therapeutic relationship in which the therapist helps the person explore their own goals and resources - this approach supports self-esteem, coping with life changes, and personal growth.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Dr. Houshmand works collaboratively with each person to identify which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. Registered professionals often blend techniques so the work can be responsive and focused on what the client wants to achieve.

Online therapy with Dr. Houshmand can take place by video call, phone session, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and lifestyles. These options make it easier to attend sessions from home or while abroad, accommodate varying energy levels and comfort with communication styles, and support consistent progress when in-person meetings are not practical.