Baanu Baghbani-Irvine 

Attachment-Based Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist | CBT & Rational Emotive Therapist (RECBT)       

Baanu Baghbani-Irvine

Attachment-Based Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist | CBT & Rational Emotive Therapist (RECBT)

MSc, PGD, PGD, BICA

Pronouns - She/Her

Baanu brings over 20 years of therapeutic experience working with adults, adolescents and children, both individually and within family systems. Her specialist focus is childhood trauma, attachment-related difficulties and long-standing relationship patterns - the kinds of struggles that often sit at the root of emotional distress across the lifespan.

Baanu is unusual in offering both depth and structure. She is completing a UKCP-accredited qualification in Attachment-Based Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, reflecting her enduring interest in how early relationships shape self-concept, emotional wellbeing and the way we connect as adults. Alongside this, she holds an MSc in Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy and draws on CBT, RECBT, systemic thinking and third-wave approaches including ACT, Mindfulness and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, with additional specialist training in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

This means she can offer longer-term, exploratory work for people who want to understand the deeper roots of their difficulties, as well as focused, practical, skills-based therapy for those who want to make changes now - and she can move between the two as your needs change.

Baanu also has a long-standing interest and specialist training in infertility and adoption, and is a member of the British Infertility Counselling Association (BICA). She supports individuals and couples through fertility struggles, miscarriage, IVF and donor conception, offering a compassionate, steady space to process grief, strengthen relationships and move forward with clarity.

Beyond her clinical practice, Baanu has held leadership and supervisory roles in Family and Children's Services, been part of a management team, contributed to the Leaders for London programme and provides clinical supervision to practitioners supporting families. Her training in coaching further supports clients working on personal and professional growth.

“My passion is empowering people to gain deeper insight into their thought patterns, manage behaviours, and regulate emotions—so they can lead more fulfilling lives and relationships. Life’s challenges shape who we are, and I offer a safe, non-judgemental space to process these experiences and create meaningful, lasting change.”

How Baanu Works

Baanu is integratively trained, and the way she works is shaped around you rather than a single method.

Depth work - Attachment-Based Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. For people whose difficulties have deep roots - early trauma, repeated relationship patterns, persistent low self-worth - Baanu offers medium- to longer-term therapy that explores where those patterns come from and helps you build a more secure relationship with yourself and others.

Focused work - CBT and Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (RECBT). For people who want structured, practical support with a specific problem such as anxiety, OCD, low mood or stress, Baanu draws on evidence-based CBT and RECBT to help you identify unhelpful thinking patterns and change how you respond to them.

Many clients benefit from a blend of both. Together you will agree the approach and pace that fits your goals, and this can be reviewed as therapy progresses.

Attachment-Based Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy with Baanu

CBT and Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (RECBT) with Baanu

Fertility, IVF, Miscarriage and Adoption Support

Baanu has specialist training in infertility counselling and adoption, and is a member of the British Infertility Counselling Association (BICA). She supports individuals and couples through:

• Fertility struggles and the emotional impact of infertility

• IVF and assisted conception, including decision-making and treatment stress

• Miscarriage, pregnancy loss and grief

• Donor conception and the questions it raises for individuals, couples and families

• Adoption, including preparation and post-adoption support

• Pregnancy, birth and postnatal anxiety or depression

Her approach offers a compassionate, structured space to process loss, strengthen your relationship and move forward with clarity and resilience.

Areas of Specialism

• Anxiety and mood Anxiety · Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) · Social anxiety · Health anxiety · Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) · Depression · Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) · Managing stress · Sleep problems

• Trauma and attachment Childhood trauma · Trauma · Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) · Attachment problems · Fears of abandonment · Codependency

• Relationships and family Relationship problems · Family issues · Parenting issues · Anger · Jealousy

• Fertility, pregnancy and loss Fertility, IVF and donor conception · Miscarriage · Pregnancy and birth · Postnatal anxiety and depression · Grief and bereavement

• Self-esteem and body Low self-esteem · Shame · Guilt · Body image problems · Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) · Eating disorders · Comfort eating and self-discipline problems

• Work and life changes Career counselling · Redundancy · Procrastination · Difficulties in maintaining a healthy lifestyle

  LGBTQI+ Inclusive

  Baanu has completed a number of diversity and inclusion in therapy trainings, including specific gender identity and sexual orientation training:

  • Workplace Training: Sexual Orientation & LGBTQ+ Inclusion

  • Therapeutic Expertise: Affirmative & ACT Therapy

  • Addressing Unconscious Bias & Systemic Microaggression

  Experience in:

  • Assisting parents of LGBTQ+ children and adolescents

  • Supporting LGBTQ+ adolescents

  • LGBTQ+ relationship and couples therapy

Therapeutic Approaches & Models

• Attachment-Based Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

• Psychodynamic Therapy

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (RECBT)

• Trauma and Attachment

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Mindfulness

• Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)

• Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)

• Schema Therapy

• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

• Solution Focused Therapy

• Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy

• Systemic Couples Therapy

• Systemic Family Therapy

• Structural Family Therapy

• Integrative Therapy

  Baanu works with:

• Adolescents (10 - 15 Years)

• Adolescents (16 - 18 Years)

• Adults (19-65 Years)

• Elderly (65+ Years)

• Couples and relationship Therapy

• Family therapy

• Individual Therapy

Languages:

Baanu offers therapy in English, Finnish and Persian (Farsi).

Professional Training & Accreditations

• Completing a UKCP-accredited qualification in Attachment-Based Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

• MSc in Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy - CBT Therapist

• PGD in Systemic Family Therapy - Clinical Supervisor

• PGD in Psychodynamic Approach to Psychotherapy (2009 - 2011)

• Specialist training in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• Specialist training in infertility counselling and adoption

• Member of the British Infertility Counselling Association (BICA)

• Leaders for London programme

• Coaching training

Client testimonials

Transform Your Life with Baanu

"I just want to say thank you. Therapy with you has changed my life and it helped me regain a sense of self. I no longer feel like everything is too heavy, I am able to manage my emotions better and I am excited at life again. I feel so much more self-aware and my whole life is improving. I am ready to focus on other areas on my life and I am more self-focused and starting to feel less guilty about it. You have a wonderful skill of listening, but also challenging my behaviour and I will always recommend you to anyone searching for a therapist." Anonymous

Rebuilding Relationships Together - Baanu so was warm, supportive and helpful

“Baanu was so warm, supportive, and helpful, and I am so thankful to have worked with her. She helped my partner and I through a difficult period in our relationship, and through therapy we learned a lot about ourselves and each other.” Laura

Experience Tailored and Impactful Therapy with Baanu. A Journey to Sustainable Change

“Baanu was a skilled and adept therapist. She took time to fully understand my difficulties and their origins building an individualised approach. She took my feedback on board as we moved through sessions on what was and wasn't and what else needed addressing. As a therapist myself I found this was invaluable but she also pushed me where needed to address uncomfortable issues and for the first time I feel I was able to address the root causes and make sustainable change. Thank you so much.” Jen (Therapist Baanu Baghabani-Irvine)

Empowering and Insightful Therapy for Deep Personal Growth

“Baanu was excellent in every way. She was really easy to talk to, always made me feel comfortable and had a really good way of empowering me to open up about topics that I have felt uncomfortable digging into in the past. She also was able to show me links to these things and my struggles with my mood that really allowed me to re-contextualise events in my childhood that contributed to issues I have experienced recently. I really enjoyed working with her and would recommend her as a therapist to anyone looking to explore therapy further.” Mark

I immediately felt at ease with Baanu.

“I immediately felt at ease with Baanu. She was very open, warm and very human in her approach. I felt she truly heard me and listened attentively. She was not afraid to challenge me on occasion. My therapy was a very positive experience.” Anonymous

Masterful Guidance to Uncover and Transform.

“Baanu was absolutely fantastic throughout. She’s very skilled at getting to the bottom of behavioural challenges - when I thought something superficial was a challenge she helped me pick apart situations to really identify the belief or behaviour, why it exists and what I can do to be more aware and in control of my own out puts. At the same time I felt like I was in a safe space and could experiment with my thoughts to identify which tools and ways of thinking would be helpful.” Annabel

Seamless Journey from Inquiry to Therapy. Exceptional, Empathic Online Sessions That Feel In-Person

“The process from inquiry to the final invoice has all been very smooth. It felt that my needs were listened to and the best possible solution was suggested. My therapist was absolutely amazing; incredibly knowledgeable, empathic, and clearly used to online forms of therapy. During the session, it seemed as if we were in the same room making me feel safe and secure.” Anonymous

Guiding You to Insightful Solutions and a New Perspective on Personal Challenges

“Baanu really did help me find answers I was looking, she listened to everything I had to say and along the way gave me guidance and tips to make me realise that all these problems I thought I had, weren’t so much problems, but stuff I was allowing myself to think were problems.” Joe

A Perfect Blend of Attentiveness, Guidance, and Emotional Safety

“The therapy sessions were great! Baanu was very astute and was great at recalling conversations and names from previous sessions. Baanu was great at guiding me and helping me release emotions whilst maintain that safe non-judgemental space.” Dylan

Transformative Therapy Experience: Unlocking a Happier, More Confident You

“The therapy I received has ultimately changed my life! I’m a happier, more confident person now than I probably ever have been. I would highly recommend it, to anyone who has any mental health issues they wish to address and resolve!” Paul

Expert Support for Emotional Healing and Confidence Post-Breakup

“Baanu is an excellent therapist. I started therapy with her after my breakup. She made me feel comfortable from the first session onwards. I could easily open up to her. I had 6 sessions with her and each session made me feel better. Her therapy methods are very effective. At the end of 6 sessions, I was feeling more confident and felt I was over the breakup. I would highly recommend Baanu. She is the best!” Annonymous (6 sessions