Dipali Malik Bhatnagar - Profile

Hello! I’m Dipali Malik Bhatnagar, a UKCP and AFT accredited systemic family psychotherapist with over a decade of experience in the field of counselling psychology and psychotherapy currently serving in national and specialist child and adolescent eating disorder service in South London and Maudsley NHS foundation Trust. While I specialise in Eating disorders, I have intensive experience of supporting individuals, couples and families presenting with wide range of difficulties, helping them navigate the complex emotional and psychological challenges that come with them. I am deeply committed to creating a compassionate, culturally sensitive, non-judgmental, and collaborative space for healing.

My approach is grounded in systemic theory, which means I take into account not just the individual, but also the family dynamics and wider social contexts that influence mental health and well-being. Systemic Family Therapy is a form of therapy that views problems not as isolated issues within an individual, but as part of a broader relational context. It focuses on how family members interact, communicate, and influence each other. Instead of working only with the person experiencing difficulty, a systemic therapist works with the entire system — whether it’s an individual, a couple, or a family — to identify patterns of behaviour, improve communication, and foster healthier dynamics. By examining the system as a whole, we can uncover the patterns and dynamics that contribute to difficulties and create lasting change. Through therapy, my aim is not only to support individuals in healing but to empower families to become a source of strength, resilience, and understanding.

Who Can Benefit from Systemic Family Therapy?

Systemic Family Therapy is highly versatile and can help a wide variety of individuals, couples, and families facing challenges, including:

• Individuals: Struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, eating disorders, or other personal challenges that are affected by family dynamics.
• Couples: Facing communication breakdowns, trust issues, emotional distance, or struggles related to intimacy, parenting, or life transitions.
• Families: Experiencing conflict, struggles with a child’s behaviour, or coping with a major life transition such as divorce, loss, or illness.

Number of Sessions

Therapy is a journey, and the number of sessions varies depending on your unique needs and the nature of the challenges you are facing. Typically, I recommend an initial assessment session followed by a series of sessions. A treatment plan is often created in collaboration with the client and their family, and it may involve short-term or long-term therapy depending on progress.

• Initial assessment session: 60 minutes
• Ongoing therapy: 50 minutes per session
Sessions are typically held weekly or bi-weekly, though this can be adjusted as needed

I am a fully qualified and accredited therapist, registered with the following professional bodies:
• UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
• Association of Family Therapy (AFT)

If you are seeking a compassionate, culturally sensitive, and collaborative approach to therapy, I would be honoured to support you in navigating the challenges you face and working toward lasting healing and growth.