Mrs Katherine Sharbanee

A conversation with Katherine Sharbanee

• What led you to choose psychotherapy or counselling as a profession?

  My journey into psychology and counselling was deeply personal. Growing up alongside a family member with severe mental health challenges, and later experiencing the devastating loss of their life, shaped my path. This experience gave me not only a strong sense of empathy for emotional suffering but also a determination to better understand the roots of mental illness. It inspired me to dedicate my life to supporting others through their own challenges.

• Which philosophical approaches have influenced your professional development?

  My professional development has been deeply influenced by attachment theory, as I’ve seen how our early relationships shape the ways we connect, trust, and experience closeness throughout life. I integrate experiential approaches to help clients engage with their emotions in real time, creating a space where feelings can be felt, explored, and understood rather than simply analyzed. Psychodynamic ideas inform my curiosity about patterns that run beneath awareness—how past experiences, unconscious beliefs, and relational histories influence present challenges. At the same time, a person-centred philosophy guides my work to remain rooted in empathy, acceptance, and collaboration, ensuring clients feel seen, heard, and supported. Together, these approaches allow me to work with depth, nuance, and compassion, helping people understand themselves more fully and create meaningful change in their lives.

• Which particular aspects of health or the human journey are you interested in?

  I am particularly interested in the ways relationships, early experiences, and life transitions shape emotional well-being and connection. I’m drawn to supporting people through attachment and relational challenges, complex trauma, perinatal mental health, and parenting transitions, as these periods often bring deep reflection, growth, and the opportunity to develop greater self-understanding. I’m fascinated by the human capacity for resilience, insight, and relational repair, and I find it rewarding to help people navigate the emotional and psychological aspects of their journeys with curiosity, compassion, and self-awareness.

• What methods do you use?

  I use a combination of psychodynamic, experiential, and person-centred methods in my work. I draw on psychodynamic approaches to explore patterns shaped by early experiences and unconscious processes, helping clients understand how past relationships influence the present. Through experiential methods, I support clients to engage with and process emotions in the moment, bringing insight into lived experience. Guided by a person-centred philosophy, I maintain a compassionate, non-judgmental space where clients feel heard, supported, and empowered to explore, reflect, and create meaningful change in their lives

• When do you think the client will start to feel that progress is being made?

  The experience of progress is unique for each client, and it often emerges gradually. Some people notice small shifts—like feeling heard, understood, or gaining new insight—within the first few sessions. For others, progress may take longer, as deeper patterns and emotional experiences are explored. I focus on creating a safe, reflective, and collaborative space where clients can notice these changes at their own pace, and we regularly reflect together on growth, insights, and emerging goals. Even small changes—greater self-awareness, improved emotional regulation, or shifts in relationships—are important markers of progress

• How has therapy made a difference in your life?

  Therapy has helped me develop a deeper understanding of myself and my patterns, especially in relationships and how I respond to stress or conflict. It has taught me to notice emotions without judgment, to reflect on early experiences and their impact, and to approach myself with greater compassion. Experiencing therapy firsthand has also strengthened my ability to empathise with clients, understand the courage it takes to explore difficult feelings, and appreciate the profound potential for growth and change that comes from feeling truly seen and supported

• What do you like most about being a therapist?

  What I love most about being a therapist is witnessing the courage and growth of the people I work with. I value the moments when clients begin to see themselves more clearly, connect with their emotions, or shift long-standing patterns. I’m inspired by the human capacity for resilience, insight, and change, and I feel privileged to provide a safe, compassionate space where people can explore, understand, and create meaningful shifts in their lives. Every session is an opportunity to support someone in discovering their own strengths and possibilities, which is deeply rewarding.

• Do you ever have 'bad hair' days?

  Absolutely! Even therapists have days when our hair (and sometimes our mood) doesn’t quite cooperate. I like to think of them as humbling reminders that we’re human, and sometimes clients even find it relatable—it can lighten the mood and build connection.

• Can you share the name of a book, film, song, event or work of art that inspires you?

  I’m inspired by works that explore what it means to be human. The Matrix challenges how we perceive reality and choice. The Odyssey reflects the existential journey, full of struggle, self-discovery, and transformation. Rembrandt captures the quiet intensity of human emotion, showing how light and shadow coexist within us. Together, they remind me that life is a profound, often messy exploration of meaning, connection, and the self