Hello, my name is Harshani Algiriyi,

I am an experienced clinical counsellor with over 15 years of service as a mental health practitioner. I work with children, adolescents and adults from diverse cultural backgrounds who struggle with psychological and emotional trauma due to extraordinary stressful events in life. I have experience as a trauma counsellor in the family violence sector supporting clients to come out of traumatic experiences in their lives.

As a mother of two adolescent children, I am continuously working on researching new skills to face challenges to support adolescents for their smooth transition into exciting social changes while preserving their values. In addition, I support my clients to manage generational, and cultural conflicts to reach their full potential with confidence. My therapeutic approach involves a wide range of therapies and I work with my clients to understand which approach suits their needs and experience. My practice is client-centred, trauma informed and evidence-based with a range of therapeutic modalities involved. mainly

I use cognitive behaviour therapy, Gottman couples therapy, EMDR therapy, narrative therapy and emotion-focused therapy in my clinical practice. I have a special interest in couples therapy, in particular working with clients using the Gottman Method, in which I have received my highest level 3 training. The Gottman Method is an approach to couples therapy that includes a thorough assessment of the couple’s relationship and integrates research-based interventions based on the Sound Relationship House Theory. The goals of Gottman Method Couples Therapy are to disarm conflicting verbal communication; increase intimacy, respect, and affection; remove barriers that create a feeling of stagnancy and create a heightened sense of empathy and understanding within the context of the relationship. I can speak English and Sinhalese with a good sense of cultural understanding.