Holly Kahya

Holly Kahya is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Health and Psychological Sciences at City, University of London, where she serves as Year 1 Lead and module leader on the Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology programme. She also supervises doctoral research and contributes to curriculum development and equity initiatives.

Education:

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

Holly's research and clinical interests focus on the intersection of trauma, neurodevelopment, and therapeutic innovation. She specializes in childhood trauma and complex PTSD, with strong expertise in EMDR and Advanced Schema Therapy. Her work integrates body-based and ecological perspectives in mental health, advocating for neuroaffirmative and socially just practices in counselling psychology. She is particularly interested in how trauma manifests across neurodiverse populations and how therapeutic models can be adapted to be more inclusive and effective.

Holly is an active contributor to equality, diversity, and inclusion within her school, serving on the EDI committee and promoting anti-racist and anti-discriminatory practices in training and service delivery.

Scientific Awards:

• Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (July 2024)

Holly supervises doctoral students on the DPsych programme and leads key modules including Person-Centred Approaches and Neuropsychology, Neurodiversity & Psychometrics. While no specific grants are mentioned, her leadership in curriculum design and inclusion initiatives reflects a strong commitment to educational innovation and mentorship. Her private clinical practice complements her academic role, ensuring applied relevance in her teaching and supervision.

Holly is involved in institutional initiatives related to neuroaffirmative practice and anti-discrimination in mental health training. While no formal lab or research team is named, her work is embedded in the academic and clinical frameworks of the Professional Doctorate programme, where she shapes both pedagogy and therapeutic standards.