Lekha Daya

Counselling Psychologist

Lekha (she/her) is a licensed Counselling Psychologist with 11 years of experience in the field of mental health. In addition to working in private practice, she offers psychoeducational and psychological support services in the medical, education and corporate sectors.

Before becoming a psychotherapist, Lekha completed a Bachelors degree in Psychology and Criminology (University of KwaZulu Natal), followed by an Honours degree in Psychology (Nelson Mandela University). She then worked as a Registered Counsellor in the corporate wellness sector prior to completing her Masters in Counselling Psychology (Rhodes University). Her masters dissertation focused on Counselling and Clinical Psychologists’ perceptions of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Upon qualifying as a Psychologist, Lekha spent a year living on board Transnet’s mobile Phelophepa Healthcare Train, managing services rendered by the Psychology Clinic. The Psychology Clinic provided free counselling and outreach services to rural communities throughout South Africa across a 38-week period annually. She was then involved at a supervisory and strategic level building one of South Africa’s leading mental health apps, called Panda Mental Health. She continues to be involved in spaces focused on psychoeducation and scaling mental health, which she believes is a necessity in the South African context.

In her private practice, Lekha specialises in working with adolescents (14+) and adults. She is dedicated to facilitating healing and growth for you through a holistic and collaborative approach. In addition to individual therapy, she provides family therapy, relationship therapy, parental guidance and career counselling. Lekha strongly believes that the human capacity to move through difficulty is a capacity which we all inherently possess. Building coping skills and psychological insight with her clients is built on her focus on a safe and conscious therapeutic relationship, with co-created therapy goals. She works from an integrative, relational and systemic approach, tailoring each therapeutic process to your unique history, culture, values and goals for therapy.

Lekha is very fulfilled engaging with her clients from various cultures, heritage, gender and sexual orientations. Lekha is a proud gender, relationship and sexuality diversity therapist. As a person of colour, Lekha understands the stigma that is still attached to mental health, and thus, she strives to create a space that is accepting and prejudice-free. She has training in various psychotherapeutic modalities, continues with professional development, and receives clinical supervision in order to provide you with the best possible service.

Lekha works with a variety of psychological and emotional problems, including:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Trauma
• Interpersonal difficulties
• Sexual Health
• LGBTQIA+
• Adolescent mental health
• Somatic challenges
• Grief
• Identity
• Self-esteem
• Life transitions
• Personality disorders
• Self-harm
• Anger management

Therapeutic approaches (including but not limited to):

• Integrative Psychotherapy
• Schema Therapy
• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
• Existential Psychotherapy
• Gestalt Therapy
• Mindfulness-based therapies, and
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Registrations:
Counselling Psychologist (HPCSA)
Registered Counsellor (HPCSA)

Lekha consults both in person and virtually (Zoom, Google Meet). To contact Lekha please email l.daya.psychologist@gmail.com or call 072 706 8554