We will match you with a counselor based on your needs
Program Leader
Counseling Center Coordinator
Vivienne Herke, MSW, UKCP
Vivienne Herke, MSW, MBACP, UKCP completed her Masters in Clinical Social Work in 2000 at Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo, ON, Canada) which built upon a Bachelor's degree in Psychology at McGill University (Montreal, PQ, Canada). Vivienne is also currently a Counselling Psychologist in training as she in the final year of a PhD in Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy at the University of Middlesex, England (in conjunction with the New School for Psychotherapy and Counselling in London).
During her career, Vivienne has moved back and forth between the private and public sectors as she has lived abroad for 25 years. She has experience of working in psychiatric hospitals, crisis units of general hospitals, community mental health services, youth offending services, child welfare and various counselling services in Canada, England, Switzerland and Spain. Vivienne is an integrative British registered Psychotherapist (UKCP) with a holistic and humanistic-existential orientation who works in a relational way incorporating CBT, ACT and mindfulness techniques in service of her clients. Most recently, she has been in private practice for 5 years in Lausanne and online across Europe working with teenagers, students, adults, couple and families. Issues of anxiety, anger, depression, developmental trauma, emotional regulation, identity, purpose or meaning in life and relational issues have been the focus of her therapeutic work.
Vivienne is committed to ensuring the overall responsiveness, effectiveness and quality of the multi-cultural counselling service at Webster University.
Who are the Trainee Counselors?
Counselors come from a variety of professional backgrounds such as lawyers, teachers, journalists, human resources, UN employees, NGOs, the corporate world and more. They have very valuable life experience, and this can be so important in understanding the challenges that their clients face. They are realistic, dedicated, and resourceful with a wide range of life skills.
Some have grown up in international, multilingual contexts, knowing first-hand the difficulties faced by individuals and families adjusting to a new country. All the counselors are passionate about supporting people in navigating difficult life transitions and creating meaningful change.
We are delighted to be able to extend our services to students at Webster Tashkent. Trainee counsellors available for this purpose can be identified by a (T) next to their name.
Trainee Counselors
Allison Pohl
Allison believes that every person has the capacity for growth, healing, and meaningful change. She views the counseling relationship as a collaborative process where clients can explore their experiences, build on their strengths, and develop greater self-understanding in a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment.
Currently in her second year of her Master’s in Counseling program, Allison’s approach is grounded in empathy, respect, and the belief that each person’s journey is unique. She is particularly interested in supporting individuals navigating anxiety, depression, stress, self-esteem concerns, relationship challenges, and life transitions. Her work emphasizes personal growth, adaptability, and helping clients discover practical strategies for creating lasting change.
Originally from the United States, Allison has called Switzerland home for the past 11 years. Through her own experience as an expatriate, she understands the challenges and opportunities that can accompany cultural adjustment, building a support system, and creating a sense of belonging far from home. These experiences have deepened her appreciation for the courage and resilience involved in navigating change and finding one’s place in the world.
Ayten AlKhayat (T)
Ayten creates a warm, respectful, and nonjudgmental space where clients can explore their experiences at their own pace. She works collaboratively to build insight, strengthen coping resources, and navigate challenges with greater clarity and resilience
Currently completing her master’s degree in counselling at Webster Geneva, with expected graduation in December 2027, Ayten is engaged in clinical training across diverse settings. She is a member-in-training with the Swiss Association for Counselling (SGfB). Her developing areas of focus include trauma, addiction, grief, and psychosocial support, with a particular interest in intergenerational family patterns and relational dynamics.
Her approach is person-centred and trauma-informed, grounded in ethical and multicultural practice. With a Middle Eastern, Egyptian and Austrian background, she brings an understanding of cultural identity and family dynamics and works sensitively with diverse experiences. She is fluent in Arabic and English and strives to create an inclusive space where clients feel seen, heard, and supported.
Pei-Shan Ho (T)
Pei-Shan believes that every person is the best owner of their own life. She practices active listening, empathic attunement, and unconditional positive regard to accompany her clients. She offers a safe, warm, calm and non-judgmental space where they can express their emotions, worries and life experiences. By being fully present and engaged, she supports her client in cultivating self-awareness, fostering reflection, finding meaning, and building resonant narratives that enrich their everyday lives.
Originally from Taiwan, Pei-Shan obtained her Master’s degree in Human Resources in Paris, France, and worked for several years as a Talent Developer in international corporates. She is also a mother of two children and a certified professional coach, which enables her to integrate her life experience, corporate background, coaching expertise, and therapeutic skills into tailored approaches that meet each client's unique needs.
Laura Lightboy
Laura works collaboratively with her clients to help them move through whatever issues and challenges they are currently facing. Her person-centred approach also includes elements of somatic therapy, focusing on the mind-body connection. By bringing awareness to the body, she seeks to help clients reshape their perspective on, and relationship to, difficult emotions such as anxiety and sadness.
Laura has a BA in International Relations from NYU in New York City and a Masters of Business Administration from IE University in Madrid. She has a successful 12+ year career in international development that has focused on improving opportunities for certain populations in developing countries. Now based in Geneva for many years, she decided to also train as a Counselor after seeing the value that therapy sessions have brought to both herself and her loved ones. Her specific areas of interest for working with clients include life transitions, establishing healthy relationships, exploring the mind-body relationship, and career development. She offers sessions in English and French.
Ayan Mohamud
I am a trainee counsellor currently completing my MA in Counselling, offering a warm, confidential, and non-judgmental space for clients. My approach is trauma-informed and culturally sensitive, with a particular interest in supporting individuals experiencing emotional distress, life transitions, and challenges related to identity, relationships, or wellbeing. I aim to work collaboratively, helping clients feel heard, understood, and empowered in their personal growth.
Hiroko Araki (T)
Hiroko is originally from Japan and based in Switzerland. Upon completing her Master’s in International Administration in the United States, she worked as an international humanitarian aid worker in Latin America, Africa, Europe and Asia for over 25 years. She also had aid coordination roles in New York and Geneva. She is a certified coach and in her coaching work, she realized that current unwanted behaviors and reactions are often reflections of unresolved past pains, and transformational change would most likely occur when properly revisiting and healing from these wounds. This realization made her pursue a counseling degree at Webster to expand her skills to help. She offers sessions in English, Japanese and Spanish and strives to create a safe, empathetic space for her clients to explore and reflect on their inner world.
Zubina Huq Inamdan
Zubina is a final-year counsellor-in-training, currently completing an MA in Counselling at Webster University, Geneva. She holds an MSc in Psychosocial Rehabilitation and BA in Psychology. She works with individuals facing a variety of life challenges, including stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, loneliness, and life transitions.
Originally from India, she has lived in the UK and Switzerland giving her an understanding of the challenges accompanying relocation, identity and belonging while also fostering an appreciation for multicultural perspectives and experiences. She is committed to creating a warm, empathetic and collaborative space where clients feel heard, understood and supported.
She offers counselling sessions both in person in Zurich and online.
Myanna Gregory
Myanna offers an integrative, client-centered approach in English and German. Raised by immigrant parents in the Seattle area, she brings lived insight into cross-cultural transitions, identity, and belonging. Having lived abroad while supporting aging parents back home and raising multicultural children in the Geneva area, she understands the complexities families carry across borders and generations.
With experience teaching languages to learners of all ages, Myanna brings a developmentally attuned perspective to her counseling work. She understands how learning environments, relationships, and systems shape identity and well-being, and she helps clients make meaning of these influences. She has a special interest in accompanying members of the LGBTQ+ community and their famixlies, as well as people navigating grief and loss.
Myanna believes every individual deserves understanding, support, and hope. She creates a collaborative, nonjudgmental space grounded in trust, curiosity, and open communication, helping people tap into their strengths, build self-worth, navigate transitions, and nurture meaningful relationships.
Nickoloz Mujiri (T)
A large believer in people’s ability to achieve their greatest potential, Nick brings a dynamic, open, multi-cultural, and a warm environment in the counseling relationship. Viewing the therapeutic relationship with clients as a collaborative space of safety and a source of growth for his clients, Nick hopes to utilize this space to help clients express themselves fully and find opportunities for growth.
Currently in the second year of his Master’s program, Nick uses his international experience in working with special needs clients and psychiatric care to assist clients be in touch with their emotions. Utilizing the mind-body connection and navigating anxieties and trauma through exercises, Nick aspires to develop skills in working with clients to overcome addictions, trauma, anxiety, and depression.
Born in Georgia, USA as a first-generation American coming from a family from Tbilisi, Georgia, he has lived in various countries such as Ukraine, Georgia, USA, and Switzerland. Having frequently travelled around the world and being exposed to numerous cultures, Nick hopes to bring such international experience to utilize a culturally-sensitive approach to assist his clients.
Available both online and in-person, he offers his sessions in English and Russian.
Kristen Bryant
Kristen Bryant creates a warm, non-judgmental, and collaborative space where clients can safely explore their unique stories, navigate life transitions, and build lasting resilience. Currently pursuing her Master’s in Counseling at Webster University Geneva, she is also a member-in-training with the Swiss Association for Counselling (SGfB).
Originally from the United States, Kristen transitioned to the counseling field after a successful career in aviation management. This professional background gives her firsthand insight into the pressures of major life pivots, workplace stress, and the unique challenges of adapting to high-demand environments.
She is particularly passionate about supporting young adults, helping individuals navigate identity shifts, and breaking down mental health stigma in the professional world. Guided by empathy and a collaborative, strengths-based perspective, Kristen walks alongside her clients as they uncover their inner resources and work toward meaningful, positive change.
Leila Mwenyumbu
Leila believes that every individual has the capacity for growth, healing, and meaningful change. She views the therapeutic relationship as a collaborative partnership built on trust, empathy, and respect, where clients can safely explore their experiences, discover their strengths, and develop greater self-awareness in a supportive and nonjudgmental environment. Currently in the second year of her Master's degree in Counseling, Leila is committed to providing compassionate care while continuing to grow as a clinician through ongoing learning and supervision. She is interested in supporting individuals experiencing a range of difficulties including; anxiety, depression, stress, self-esteem concerns, relationship challenges, executive dysfunction and life transitions, all while taking culture, religion, sexual orientation, nationality and other individual differences into account. Originally from Tanzania, Leila understands the unique challenges and opportunities that come with adapting to a new culture, building meaningful connections, and creating a sense of belonging. Her personal experiences have deepened her appreciation for the courage and resilience involved in navigating change, allowing her to bring cultural sensitivity and understanding to her work with clients from diverse backgrounds. Leila is dedicated to creating a warm, inclusive, and collaborative therapeutic space where each client feels heard, valued, and empowered. She believes that every person's journey is unique and is honored to support clients as they move toward greater well-being, self-understanding, and a more fulfilling life