ABOUT ME

Hello, my name is Dafiny Alves. I am an integrative counsellor, Clinical Supervisor, and Life coach. I am also a certified anxiety—and trauma-informed practitioner and a member of the BACP and NCPS. I specialise in working with neurodivergent young people and young adults.

 

I have been working with a diverse range of people from different cultural backgrounds, including neurodivergent people like me; since 2018, when I first started counselling, I have over two thousand hours of client work experience under my belt. My work experience has been in school settings, private practice, and independent mental health charities, I have worked with Global majority communities providing culturally sensitive therapy, including offering short-term therapy to Portuguese and Italian speakers via the IAPT service in South London, work that resonated with me as I am Brazilian and I lived in Italy for a few years, I believe that it is empowering for people to be able to express themselves in their mother tongue and offering this to our clients can make a positive impact on the therapeutic relationship.

 

I also have experience managing counsellors as a coordinator of a counselling service in a women’s only charity in Harrow, where I recruited and trained counsellor volunteers and assessed clients' suitability for counselling.

As a Clinical 1-to-1 and group Supervisor at Need to Talk, I provide guidance in ethical dilemmas, explore the importance of self-care in the caring profession, and, equally importantly, provide a non-judgmental space for counsellors to talk about their client’s welfare. I also run my private practice, work as a school counsellor at Child in Time, and write and deliver workshops on Anxiety, Bereavement, and Well-being. These workshops are not only for the general public. I also develop workshops for fellow Counsellors. I have run a few sessions in Short-term Counselling. I am developing new workshops on Self-Care for helping professionals and how to work with clients with OCD. Finally, I am also exploring my skills as a blog writer.