Dr Bahar Felton

Professional qualifications, accreditations and memberships

• Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology (University of East London)
• MSc Psychology (University of East London)
• Registered Counselling Psychologist
• HCPC membership

Professional experience

As a counselling psychologist, Dr Felton has varied experience working within primary and secondary mental health services. Some of the services she has worked with include NHS secondary mental health units, focusing on complex and enduring mental health problems, IAPT (talking therapies), eating disorders and perinatal mental health outpatient settings. Dr Felton has also worked in specialised charities for substance misuse and children’s mental health within a school setting. During her doctorate programme and post-qualification, she has received specialised training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), CBT for eating disorders, and psychodynamic and integrative models including Compassion-Focused Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

Dr Felton has worked with school-aged children and adults in various age groups from various cultural, economic and spiritual/religious backgrounds. She has experience working with varied mental health conditions including long-term and enduring depression, anxiety, complex PTSD, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, eating disorders, perinatal mental health issues, substance misuse, and work and school-related stress. She has also worked with co-morbid physical health-related issues such as chronic pain.

Personal statement

Dr Felton believes that as a counselling psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), her approach is integrative, where she uses a combination of various evidence-based practices in her sessions. She can provide both short and long-term therapy which could be solution-focused or explorative depending on the clients’ needs. Dr Felton is adept at working with adults from diverse age groups, backgrounds, and cultural or spiritual/religious beliefs, seamlessly integrating these aspects into therapeutic interventions if needed. Dr Felton believes she is a reflective practitioner with a non-judgemental and compassionate approach, where building a trust-based relationship with her clients is vital.

Dr Felton firmly believes that the clients are the experts in their own lived experiences. She works collaboratively with the clients to understand and make sense of their experiences and struggles while working on exploring more helpful coping mechanisms. Dr Felton is passionate about working with her clients to discover their true selves while finding purpose in their lives.

Additional information about research, publications and interests

Dr Felton has completed her doctorate research on the use of self-compassion by first-time mothers. She has also participated in research to explore the experiences of cannabis users and experiences of vapers in adolescents.

Dr Felton is interested in working with eating disorders, pre- and postnatal mental health issues, complex PTSD including childhood abuse and relational difficulties.