Dr Holly Kahya

Overview

Holly is a chartered Counselling Psychologist with over a decade of experience in clinical practice. At City, she is a senior lecturer and Year 1 Lead on the Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology programme, within the School of Health and Psychological Sciences (SHPS). She is the module leader for Person-Centred Approaches in Counselling Psychology (PSM414), in Year 1; and for Neuropsychology, Neurodiversity & Psychometrics (PSD511), in Year 2. In addition, Holly supervises doctoral research on the DPsych programme.

Holly started her professional career in teaching in 2003, working with children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, including autistic spectrum conditions (ASCs) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), within both the mainstream and special education systems. Since qualifying as a Counselling Psychologist in 2014, she has worked in a wide range of settings, including a variety of NHS, private and charity mental health services, schools, universities, residential and inpatient services. She continues to manage a small private practice alongside her work at City.

Holly has a specialist interest in childhood trauma, neuropsychological-development and complex PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). She is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) trained and certified as an Advanced Level Schema Therapist, working with adults with complex mental health issues. She also holds a strong interest in the mind and body in counselling psychology, ecopsychology, neurodiversity, and issues related to social justice.

At City, Holly is a member of the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) committee, within the School of Health and Psychological Sciences (SHPS). She contributes to a wide range of initiates at programme, departmental and school level, including anti-racism/anti-discriminatory and neuroaffirmative practice. In July 2024, Holly was awarded Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.

Qualifications

• Senior Fellow of Higher Education, City, University of London, United Kingdom, July 2024
• Fellow of Higher Education (FHEA), City, University of London, February 2023
• EMDR Parts 1 - 3, Richman EMDR Training, United Kingdom, 2021
• Advanced Certified Schema Therapist, Schema Therapy Associates, 2020
• Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology, City, University of London, United Kingdom, 2011 - September 2014
• Yoga Therapist for Mental Health, The Minded Institute, 2012
• Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), Bath Spa University, United Kingdom, September 2002 - July 2003
• Psychology (BA Hons), University of Manchester, United Kingdom, September 1999 - July 2002

Employment

• Senior Lecturer, City, University of London, United Kingdom, May 2024 - present
• Lecturer, City, University of London, United Kingdom, September 2021 - present
• Visiting Lecturer, City, University of London, United Kingdom, September 2019 - September 2021

Featured publications

1. Baig, S.K. and Kahya, H.H. (2025). ‘ I felt like a broken person ’: the experiences of women navigating a late ADHD diagnosis in the UK. Advances in Mental Health pp. 1-25. doi:10.1080/18387357.2025.2524513

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