Lalida Puengklai, BACP

Lalida Puengklai is an integrative counsellor and psychotherapist who supports adults navigating stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, and low self-esteem. She works with a wide range of concerns including depression, grief, anger, family problems, and coping with life changes, drawing on methods that help people understand how past experiences shape current responses. Lalida recognises that people have often tried many ways to manage their distress and may feel puzzled about why some strategies have not worked. Her work focuses on helping clients explore those patterns, discover their inner strengths, and learn to live with greater balance rather than simply trying to ‘‘fix’’ what is wrong.

Lalida offers a warm, nonjudgmental therapeutic space where clients can breathe, reflect, and build on personal resources. She sees the therapeutic relationship as a collaborative process in which the client knows themselves best and the therapist listens closely rather than imposing answers. Her training is a Master’s degree in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy from the University of Derby, accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - BACP, and she is a registered member of that professional body.

She has experience working in the NHS and with charities supporting people affected by sexual abuse and domestic abuse. Lalida works with both short- and long-term clients aged 18 to 70, and she provides therapy in English and Thai. Based in Derby and Nottingham and originally from Bangkok, Thailand, she accepts international clients and tailors her approach to each person’s needs using techniques such as cognitive behavioural therapy, person-centred practice, attachment-informed work, mindfulness, and compassion-focused methods.

Integrative approaches and online therapy for everyday challenges

Cognitive behavioural therapy focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, panic, and stress by helping clients learn practical strategies to manage symptoms and build coping skills.

The person-centred approach prioritises the client’s own experience and capacity for growth. By offering empathy, acceptance, and active listening, this approach helps people explore their feelings, gain self-understanding, and make choices that align with their values.

Attachment-informed work explores how early relationships influence current ways of relating to others and to oneself. This perspective can help with relationship difficulties, issues of trust and abandonment, and longstanding patterns developed in childhood.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the collaborative process. Lalida works with each client to determine which methods fit their goals, preferences, and situation, adapting techniques as trust and understanding develop.

Online therapy through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging offers flexibility for people juggling work, family, or relocation. These options make it easier to sustain regular sessions, access a registered professional from different locations, and continue therapy in a way that suits an individual’s routine and needs.