Activism, Training & Publications

Increasingly, I use my voice as an experienced, specialist mental health professional and academic to contribute to change beyond the therapy room. As such, I draw on a wealth of professional experience as well as my own lived-experience of neurodivergence. Within my role as an academic, this has involved working collaboratively with neurodivergent students on co-produced, co-presented work, improving neuroaffirmative teaching and learning. I have developed a new training module, Neuropsychology, Neurodiversity & Psychometrics, and provide specialist consultation, training and mentoring within and beyond academia. At City St George’s, I have co-developed and delivered staff training for practice partners across the London borough and for academic staff across the School of Health and Medical Sciences.

Over the last year I have been invited to contribute to the following events:

May 2024 – City, University of London: Neurodiversity Celebration Week (Neuroaffirmative Teaching at City)

June 2024 – Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust: Without Exception – Embracing Neurodiversity (Keynote Speaker – Optimal Conditions: Creating a Neuraffirmative Training Environment)

October 2024 – Westminster Forum One-Day Conference 2024: Neurodivergent Best Practice at Work Conference (Panel debate)

December 2024 – City St George’s University of London: Neurodiversity in Training Practice Partners’ Event (Co-presenter)April 2025 – City St George’s University of London: Neuroaffirmative Teaching for Academic Staff (Co-presenter)

April 2025 – City St George’s University of London: Neuroaffirmative Teaching for Academic Staff (Co-presenter)

Publications

I have published articles, peer reviewed research and blogs on a range of topics, including issues related to neurodiversity, decolonising psychology, mental health, yoga and mindfulness. I am currently in the process of writing a book for practitioners on adapting schema therapy for neurodivergent clients.

Baig, S.K., & 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, TBC. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/18387357.2025.2524513

Nkansa-Dwamena, O., Alhakim, J., Challenor, J., Gunasinghe, C., Haddon, A. and Kahya, H. (2025). Decolonizing a UK counseling psychology training program: the journey so far. Counselling Psychology Quarterly pp. 1–20. doi:10.1080/09515070.2025.2521823.[publisher’s website]

Kahya, H.H. (2025). Adapted Schema Therapy for ADHD. Schema Therapy Bulletin, 33, 12-18.

Kahya, H.H. (2023). If humanity needs different kids of minds surely our profession does too. The Psychologist. https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/if-humanity-needs-different-kinds-minds-surely-our-profession-does-too

Kahya, H.H, (2023). Supervising trainee counselling psychologists of colour in doctoral research: A theoretical review and practice implications. Counselling Psychology Review, 38(1),14-15.

Kahya, H. H., & Raspin, C. G. (2017). Yoga Therapy for the Mind Eight-Week Course: Participants׳ Experiences. Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing, 13(2), 116-123. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28131764

Kahya, H. (2016). One small, quiet act. The Psychologist, 29 (11), 854-855. https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-29/november-2016/one-small-quiet-act

Blog posts

Blog posts from my previous role as Counselling Psychologist at the British CBT and Counselling Service.

How to beat the winter blues (Part 1)

http://www.thebritishcbtcounsellingservice.com/how-to-beat-the-winter-blues-part-1/

How to beat the winter blues (Part 2)

http://www.thebritishcbtcounsellingservice.com/how-to-beat-the-winter-blues-part-2/

How to beat the winter blues (Part 3)

http://www.thebritishcbtcounsellingservice.com/how-to-beat-the-winter-blues-part-3/

Why do we have Halloween?

http://www.thebritishcbtcounsellingservice.com/why-do-we-have-halloween/

How to cope with Brexit anxiety (Part 2)