Ade Dabiri

TRAINEE AT COUNSELLING PSYCHOTHERAPY TRAINING ACADEMY(CPTA)

Background

I’m Ade (pronounced Ah-day). I was born in Lagos, Nigeria and lived in China and the US before landing in the UK, where I’ve now lived and worked for over 10 years. Having been fortunate enough to experience ways of living among different cultures, I am very passionate about supporting the creation of spaces where every individual can be themselves to the fullest - whoever that may be in the moment.

Having come from a background where mental health is not as recognised or openly explored, I had difficulty accessing my inner world and articulating my dissatisfaction. It was through my own experience in therapy that I was able to begin growing my understanding of self. I decided to start training as a therapist so I could offer the space for others to do the same.

While training, I have maintained a career in the corporate world and so am familiar with issues that can arise there such as finding meaning in one’s work, navigating difficult office dynamics/relationships, and avoiding burnout.

Training goals

My training has been integrative, I tend to work in a person centred and relational way as a base - drawing from other modalities such as Psychodynamic and Gestalt depending on the needs of my clients. While I embrace individuals from all walks of life, I am particularly drawn to working with people from the global majority and exploring issues relating to serious illness, grief and loss.

Within this placement, I hope to draw on the wisdom and experience of my peers and supervisors and discover new approaches to supporting a diverse range of clients. I want to continue growing my self awareness so I can bring more presence and authenticity into the therapy room and outside it.

Membership

I am a registered student member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).