Rines Shanthakumar, BACP

Rines Shanthakumar is an integrative counsellor based in the United Kingdom who offers flexible appointment times for new clients across mornings, evenings and weekends. With a BSc (Hons) in Counselling from the University of East London and registered membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), he combines formal training with professional standards to support people through a range of life challenges.

Rines works with clients from diverse backgrounds, including LGBTQ+ people, neurodivergent individuals, those with disabilities and people living with long-term health conditions. He specialises in stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, self-esteem concerns, depression and coping with life changes, and also supports people facing issues such as abandonment, attachment difficulties, codependency, eating and body image concerns, chronic pain or illness, and substance-related problems.

Drawing on an integrative method, Rines blends techniques from person-centred, psychodynamic, cognitive behavioural and existential approaches to tailor therapy to each person’s needs. His practice emphasises respect, sensitivity and compassion while fostering a collaborative therapeutic relationship that helps clients gain clarity, build resilience and strengthen confidence to navigate ongoing challenges.

Rines accepts international clients and offers sessions in English and Tamil. He welcomes contact from anyone considering therapy and is available to begin work with new clients.

Approaches and online support for emotional wellbeing

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early and current relationship patterns shape feelings and behaviour. It helps people explore attachment needs, understand patterns of closeness or distance, and work through issues such as abandonment, trust or attachment-related anxiety.

Client-Centred Therapy places the person at the heart of the process and emphasises empathy, active listening and unconditional regard. This approach supports self-exploration, self-esteem and personal growth, and can be especially useful for those seeking a respectful, non-directive space to clarify values and goals.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) offers practical tools to recognise and reframe unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. It is often used when managing anxiety, low mood, stress and specific coping challenges by developing skills that reduce distress and improve daily functioning.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process and Rines will work collaboratively with each person to identify which methods best fit their needs, goals and preferences. Registered professionals and therapists often blend elements from different schools of thought to create a personalised plan that evolves as the work progresses.

Online therapy through video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging adds flexibility and accessibility to the therapeutic relationship. These options allow people to attend sessions from their own locations, fit appointments around work or family commitments, and maintain continuity of care when life circumstances change.