Ayesha Akhter is a Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) and National Certified Counselor (NCC) who earned her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Southern New Hampshire University. She is passionate about supporting children ages 4 and older, couples, and families as they navigate life’s challenges while building confidence, resilience, and a stronger understanding of themselves.

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Ayesha works with clients navigating anxiety, social anxiety, depression, OCD, adjustment disorders, behavioral concerns, trauma, neurodevelopmental conditions, relationship concerns, and complex family dynamics. She takes a person-centered and culturally responsive approach, believing that clients are the experts of their own lives and that therapy should be a collaborative process where each person feels heard, respected, and understood.

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Ayesha incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Play Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and somatic mindfulness techniques into her work. She tailors treatment to each client’s individual needs, age, and developmental stage, allowing therapy to look different for every person who walks through the door.

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Ayesha has a particular passion for working with children ages 4 and older and incorporates Play Therapy and creative interventions to help younger clients express emotions, process experiences, build coping skills, and develop confidence in developmentally appropriate ways. She understands that children may not always have the words to communicate what they are feeling, and uses play, creativity, and connection to help them feel safe expressing themselves.

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Ayesha also supports individuals with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), incorporating Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) to help clients better understand the OCD cycle, reduce compulsive responses, and develop greater tolerance for anxiety and uncertainty.

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When working with couples and relationship dynamics, Ayesha uses a Gottman-informed approach to help partners recognize patterns contributing to conflict or disconnection. She supports couples in improving communication, navigating conflict, increasing emotional understanding, and strengthening connection while creating space for both partners to feel heard and understood.

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Ayesha is passionate about creating a safe, authentic, and inclusive environment where clients feel comfortable sharing their experiences without fear of judgment. She recognizes that healing and self-expression can take many forms and may incorporate creative expression, verbal processing, mindfulness, and somatic techniques depending on what feels most meaningful and effective for each client.

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Fluent in English, Urdu, and Hindi, Ayesha brings cultural humility and an appreciation for the role that culture, family, identity, and lived experience can play in mental health and healing.

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Ayesha is committed to ongoing training and professional development and continually expands her knowledge of evidence-based practices to provide thoughtful, ethical, and individualized care.

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Ayesha is currently accepting new clients for children, couples, and families.

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Clinical supervision is provided by Susan Woomer, LCSW, CCS