About Us

Our Story

At Better Life Talking Therapy we seek collaboration and input from members of the culturally diverse groups we serve in developing new Emotional Health and Psychological Wellbeing services and programmes. We strive to see clients as individuals, not stereotyped representatives of a larger or smaller cultural / racial group. We recognise that each individual’s worldview varies not only with cultural, racial, and national origin, but, also with age, gender, acculturation, education, and many other diverse factors.

Our Mission and Values

Mission Statement: "Our mission is to create a safe space for healing, growth,

and empowerment through culturally aware and sensitive Emotional Health and Psychological services."

Core values: Compassion, Inclusion, Empowerment, and Collaboration.

Meet The Team

Lekan Ojo-Okiji Abasi

Founder and Bilingual Counsellor

I am a Bilingual Professional Counsellor with over 14 years post qualification experience. I genuinely care about the welfare and wellbeing of people, and as part of my role, I want to support people to make a difference to their lives and wellbeing at every opportunity, particularly in relation to issues of trauma. I am keen to use my knowledge, expertise and cultural background gained over the years from working with and supporting people from different nationalities and backgrounds through the pursuit of a better understanding of their health beliefs and behaviours. I have significant experience of working with people providing bilingual one-to-one therapeutic counselling and group therapy support, exploring issues that might be causing them problems or difficulties.

Jurita Naumane

Founder and Bilingual Counsellor

I am a qualified Bilingual Counsellor and Therapist trained in Integrative counselling approach, a type of talking therapy that recognises that people are diverse and complex. It helps me as a therapist to draw on more than one counselling approach, to meet the individual needs of each person. For over 20 years I have worked professionally in a human support field. During the last 12 years of my therapeutic practice, working in different supporting and counselling settings in Northern Ireland, I tailored and mastered my therapeutic skills and broaden my experience of working with clients from diverse backgrounds, cultures, languages, and diverse psychological issues. Increasing post-traumatic presentations in the counselling settings has developed my interest in Trauma work. I completed additional training in this area. In 2016 I completed EMDR training, which is a powerful therapeutic approach that helps people affected by traumatic events in their current lives.

Mary Torney

Director

From 1975 when I started as a Probationer Psychologist I have been working in the area of adult mental health. Initially it was in Adult Psychiatry settings and from 1993 till now I have been a counsellor and supervisor in private practice providing one-to-one and also group supervision to a range of students and qualified counsellors from a number of voluntary and private agencies in Belfast and with independent counsellors and supervisors in private practice. I have been involved in the evolution of Counselling All Nations Service from its inception, offering supervision and clinical guidance. I am an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and am on the Register for Applied Psychology Practitioners Supervisors.

Francesca Dada

Director

I am an integrative Bilingual Counsellor/Psychotherapist with experience in working with Depression, Anxiety, Abuse, bereavement and loss, stress, self-esteem, addictions, work related issues and resilience building. I have supported clients in various roles across the globe, dealing with mental health issues and in voluntary sector. Working with the refugees and asylum seekers organisations. Through my counselling experience I have in-depth knowledge of mental health issues and trauma. My counselling work is based on integrated, person-centred, CBT and EMDR practice and informed by a community development approach. I am experienced in the key tasks involved in community-based counselling and support services: responding to individuals in difficulty. I am a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP) Accred. Through my counselling training and voluntary work experience in the community, iI will be contributing these understanding toward this new project

Ezekiel Ogundipe

Founder

Ezekiel is a seasoned financial analyst with experience working with small, medium and global companies, with experience in accounting and finance. Ezekiel is a graduate of Ulster University with BSc and MSc Accounting. His wealth of experience in financial matters will be immensely use in our new CIC.