Contact: nadiasheltawy@gmail | 07968 046679
Children & Young People
As a compassionate and dedicated child and adolescent psychotherapist, I am committed to helping children and young people navigate their challenges. I create a supportive environment where they can express themselves freely. My aim is to enhance their emotional wellbeing and empower them to develop healthy coping strategies. Together, we embark on a journey of growth and understanding.
Children
My approach is flexible and integrative, tailoring interventions to each child's unique needs. Following a child or young person’s interests helps me connect with them at their developmental stage. I believe that the language of play supports children's expression of their feelings, thoughts, and experiences. By using creative and play therapy techniques—such as drawing, painting, sand tray activities, games, role-playing, storytelling, and more—I provide children with a safe, reliable and empathetic environment to explore and communicate emotions that might be too difficult to express verbally.
I continuously assess each child’s progress and adjust the therapeutic interventions to meet their evolving needs.
I work in an attachment-focused and relational way. This means that the therapeutic relationship—how we get along with each other—enables me to understand the child’s or young person’s relationships with others and how they have learned to adapt to the world.
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Children do not exist in isolation; their home and school environments significantly influence their emotional well-being. I work alongside parents, caregivers, and teachers to establish a supportive network that reinforces the progress achieved in therapy.
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Recognising and reinforcing each child’s inherent strengths aids in the development of resilience. I believe it is also important to celebrate small victories and build upon what is going well.
Adolescents & Young Adults
Adolescence is a time of rapid change. I start by creating a safe, nonjudgmental space where young people feel truly heard and understood. I value their unique experiences and perspectives, whether those relate to academic pressures, evolving identities, or changing relationships with family and peers. My aim is to empower adolescents by strengthening their decision-making skills, fostering self-awareness and healthy coping strategies, and supporting them in facing challenges with confidence. Whether they’re learning to manage anxiety, navigate peer relationships, or plan for future aspirations, the emphasis is on equipping them with tools that last beyond our sessions.
The foundation of our work is the therapeutic relationship—how we get along with each other—where trust, consistency, and genuine empathy help us explore sensitive issues and practice new ways of relating. I collaborate with each young person to identify their goals, strengths, and challenges, tailoring the interventions to suit their developmental stage and unique context. Together, we can discuss family, school, community, and cultural identity to make growth meaningful in their daily lives.
My approach is flexible and adaptive. Relational and psychodynamic thinking help us explore early relationships and/or current relationship dynamics. Cognitive-behavioural techniques help us identify and reframe unhelpful thinking or behavioural patterns, and mindfulness and emotional regulation techniques can support self-awareness and coping strategies. If the young person might find it helpful, I can involve family members to help support communication.
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I aim to encourage growth by helping young people discover their personal strengths and values while providing a safe space for them to explore new ways of relating to themselves and others. In summary, my integrative work with adolescents involves blending various therapeutic techniques within a collaborative, supportive environment that respects the complexity of each young person.