Ms Leila Bentley

Ms Leila Bentley is an accomplished Counselling Psychologist who provides compassionate, evidence-based psychotherapy for individual adults. She specialises in supporting clients navigating a wide range of psychological challenges, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship difficulties. Adopting a warm, down-to-earth, and collaborative approach, Ms Bentley works closely with her clients to foster a deep understanding of their personal experiences. Her therapeutic style is characterised by curiosity, creativity, and pragmatism, ensuring that each treatment plan is tailored to the unique needs of the individual to support healing and personal growth.

In her clinical practice, Ms Bentley draws primarily from psychodynamic and attachment theories to help clients identify and resolve deep-seated difficulties. She specialises in Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP), particularly Attachment-Based ISTDP, which is highly effective for individuals struggling with issues rooted in attachment trauma or those who have not responded to other therapeutic approaches. Additionally, she utilises BrainWorking Recursive Therapy (BWRT) to work with the preconscious mind and interrupt unwanted neural pathways, alongside other evidence-based modalities such as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). She has a particular interest in creating safe, secure spaces for neurodivergent adults with low support needs to explore their experiences with clarity and self-compassion.

Ms Bentley completed her Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, qualifying in 2010. Committed to continuous professional development, she completed advanced training in Attachment-Based Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy in 2025. She is a registered Counselling Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) in the United Kingdom and is also registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).