About Us
"Nafsiyat" - reflecting the integration of 'mind, body, and soul' in Sanskrit, Persian, and Aramaic.
Nafsiyat is an intercultural therapy centre committed to providing effective and accessible psychotherapy and counselling services to London's diverse religious, cultural, and ethnic communities. Our team is comprised of experienced, fully qualified psychotherapists and counsellors from diverse backgrounds who are sensitive to the particular therapeutic needs of cultural minority groups.
We provide short-term intercultural therapy in over 20 different languages, via referral, to individuals, groups, and couples. In addition to individual psychotherapy, we support couples and families.
Alongside our clinical work, we consider applications for placements from trainee counsellors and therapists who are interested in gaining experience in intercultural therapy. To learn more, click here.
Nafsiyat is accredited as a member of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
To support our work, we seek to secure grants from trusts and mainstream healthcare sources and, critically, we also rely on the generosity of our supporters.
Our Training
As pioneers of the intercultural model, we offer comprehensive Intercultural Competency Training and Development Services aimed at enhancing cultural awareness and skills across various sectors. Our training is designed for a diverse audience, including corporate teams, educational institutions, healthcare providers, and individual professionals seeking to improve their intercultural interactions and create inclusive environments. Participants range from school staff and university personnel to psychotherapists, counsellors, and corporate employees. Our notable collaborations include esteemed organisations such as Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Cardiff Met University, Kings College London, UCL, Jesus College Cambridge, and many others in the education and healthcare sectors. Additionally, institutions like the Anna Freud Centre, Whittington Health, and the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway South Central Region have commissioned our training programs.
Our training programs, including Intercultural Development Workshops, Intercultural Seminars, and Reflective Sessions, equip participants with essential skills to navigate cultural and racial differences effectively. These programmes enhance cultural awareness, practical application of intercultural principles, and communication techniques for diverse backgrounds. Participants also gain a deepened understanding of racial and cultural identity, fostering self-awareness and addressing workplace issues related to race and culture. Through our training, individuals and organisations acquire valuable insights and tools to create more equitable, inclusive, and culturally responsive environments. This not only promotes holistic wellbeing and social change but also empowers participants to advocate for and support diverse communities, ultimately contributing to their professional and personal development.
To learn more, click here.
Community Links & Social Justice
We enhance our therapy provision with comprehensive Community Links & Social Justice Support. This service offers invaluable general advice, information, advocacy, and practical support to our clients. We assist with navigating complex paperwork for benefits, housing, and aid programmes, connecting clients with legal aid services, and providing translation support for those with limited English proficiency. Additionally, we empower clients through economic literacy and mental health coping skills, raise awareness about systemic injustices, and advocate for the rights of marginalised communities. By integrating practical support with therapeutic interventions, we address both the immediate and root causes of our clients' challenges, fostering holistic wellbeing and meaningful societal change.
Our History
Founded in 1983 by psychotherapist Jafar Kareem, Nafsiyat emerged in response to the evident challenges that diverse religious, cultural, ethnic, and racial communities in London faced in accessing psychotherapy and counselling services. Kareem recognised that conventional psychotherapy did not sufficiently cater to the varied needs of different social identities.
This realisation inspired the establishment of Nafsiyat, marking it as the UK's pioneering organisation to incorporate the cultural backgrounds of both the patient and therapist into the therapeutic process, acknowledging its significance in fostering effective therapeutic relationships.
Over the years, Nafsiyat has expanded its team to include a broad spectrum of paid and volunteer therapists from diverse backgrounds, fluent in numerous languages.
In the early 1990s, Nafsiyat introduced an intercultural therapy diploma, followed by a partnership with University College London to launch a Master of Science Degree, predominantly taught by Nafsiyat's therapists. These academic programmes have been instrumental in training many of the therapists who now serve at our centre.
Today, we are proud to offer our clients the services of a unique team of highly qualified and respected specialists.