Otis Kirby-Dunkley

Otis Kirby-Dunkley is a trainee integrative counsellor studying towards an Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling at The Awareness Centre and practicing with NHS Talking Therapies in Lambeth. They are a BACP registered student member and support clients through NHS Talking Therapies within a GP surgery setting. Otis works with clients experiencing a range of emotional and psychological difficulties and draws on an integrative approach that combines person-centred, Gestalt, psychodynamic, and solution-focused perspectives. This allows them to adapt their way of working to each client’s individual needs, experiences, and goals. Otis is committed to providing a confidential, supportive, and compassionate space where clients feel safe to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences while developing greater self-awareness and understanding.

Otis’s approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in the belief that each person has an innate capacity for growth and change. They view counselling as a supportive environment where clients can develop the insight, confidence, and self-understanding needed to move towards greater wellbeing. Drawing on person-centred principles, Otis places importance on empathy, authenticity, and creating a therapeutic relationship where clients feel genuinely accepted and heard. Their integrative training enables them to incorporate different therapeutic approaches depending on what feels most helpful for each individual. Through solution-focused techniques, Otis supports clients in identifying strengths, exploring possibilities, and recognising existing resources, while Gestalt and psychodynamic perspectives provide opportunities to explore present experiences, relationships, and patterns that may influence how clients understand themselves and the world around them.

Before training as a counsellor, Otis developed extensive experience within the charity and healthcare sectors, including managing mental health services, lecturing across six UK medical schools, and training healthcare professionals including doctors and paramedics. They are also a founding member of a suicide prevention charity and have delivered training to staff at 10 Downing Street. This background has given Otis a broad understanding of the many different factors that can influence mental health, including personal experiences, social circumstances, and wider systems of support. Through their work with frontline services and diverse communities, Otis has developed a deep appreciation of the uniqueness of each person’s story and the importance of meeting clients without assumptions or judgement. They bring curiosity, compassion, and respect to their counselling practice, supporting clients as they explore their experiences, develop resilience, and move towards meaningful change.