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About Liz

Hello, I'm Liz

​Counsellor, clinical supervisor, hypnotherapist and trainer based in Leeds, working online across the UK.

Choosing a counsellor can feel a little strange. You're being asked to decide whether you might be able to talk about deeply personal things with someone you've probably never met.

So perhaps the most useful thing I can tell you first is how I try to be with people.

I'm down-to-earth, nurturing, curious and compassionate. I won't expect you to have the right words, know where to begin or fit neatly into a particular way of doing therapy.

We start with you.

You deserve to be seen, heard, nurtured and cared for so you can find your way through distress.

You don't have to keep carrying this on your own and you don't need to have it all figured out.

Starting counselling can feel daunting, especially if you’re not quite sure what is wrong, where to begin or how to put what you’re experiencing into words.

You don’t need to arrive with a neat explanation. We can begin with whatever feels most important, confusing or difficult right now.

Together, we can start making sense of what has been happening and what might help things feel a little more manageable.

What it might be like working with me

Curious, not judgemental

I’ll be genuinely interested in understanding your experience rather than making assumptions about it.

Flexible,
not one-size-fits-all

We might use talking, creative approaches, practical tools, nervous-system understanding or hypnotherapy depending on what works for you.

Compassionate and
down-to-earth

You don’t need to be perfect, have the right words or do therapy in a particular way.

How I work

There isn't one right way to do therapy, because there isn't one right way to be a person.

I work integratively, which simply means I can draw on different therapeutic approaches rather than expecting you to fit into one particular way of working.

Our sessions might involve talking and reflection, practical strategies, creative approaches, understanding what is happening in your nervous system, or exploring how past experiences may be affecting you now. I can also incorporate clinical hypnotherapy when this feels appropriate and is something you would like to explore.

My work is trauma-informed and neurodivergent-affirming.  That means I want to understand what makes sense for you— including how you communicate, process information, experience emotions and sensory input, and what helps you feel comfortable enough to engage with therapy.

You don't need to adapt yourself to therapy. We can adapt therapy around you.

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A little about why this work
matters to me

Like many people, I've experienced difficult things in my own life.  I've also experienced counselling from the other side of the room, and I know that finding the right person — someone you can gradually begin to trust and feel comfortable being yourself with — can make an enormous difference.

My own experiences have helped shape the kind of counsellor I want to be.  I know how powerful it can be to have somewhere you don't need to pretend, perform or have everything neatly worked out.

They've also taught me that people often make much more sense when we understand what they've experienced, what they've had to carry and the ways they've found to cope.  I 'm much more interested in understanding what has happened and what you need now than asking what's “wrong” with you.

I don't see therapy as being about becoming a different or “better” version of yourself.  For me, it's about understanding yourself with greater compassion, having more choice, and finding ways of moving forward that feel right for you.

People I work with

Anxiety & Overwhelm

When worry, overthinking, panic or feeling constantly on edge is taking over.

I work with adults and young people who may be trying to understand themselves, make sense of difficult experiences or find ways of living that feel more manageable.

You don't need to know which of these fits before getting in touch. We can work that out together.

Trauma & Difficult Experiences

Making sense of what you've been through and how it may still be affecting you now.

Neurodivergence

Understanding ADHD, autism, masking, overwhelm, identity and what you need to feel more comfortable being yourself.

Young People

A space for teenagers and young people to explore what they're experiencing without needing to have all the right words.

Experience & Qualifications

My training and experience have developed across counselling, trauma and crisis support, neurodivergence, clinical supervision and hypnotherapy.  I continue to undertake professional development as part of my practice.

Experience

Alongside private practice, my experience includes several years working within crisis support services, supporting adults and young people experiencing significant distress, self-harm and suicidal thoughts.

I've also worked extensively with neurodivergent adults and young people and now work as a counsellor, clinical supervisor and trainer.

Professional Qualifications

  • Level 5 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling Practice

  • Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling

  • Advanced Certificate in Clinical Supervision

  • Diploma in Clinical Hypnotherapy

  • Certificate in Online & Telephone Counselling

  • Certificate in Therapeutic Mentoring, Creative Trauma Recovery Skills

Professional Memberships 

I am an Accredited Member of the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) and a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

Further Training & Development

I continue to undertake professional development in areas that are particularly relevant to the people I work with. This has included training and development in:

Trauma & Recovery

Complex trauma, trauma-informed practice, creative trauma recovery and stabilisation.

Nervous System & Regulation

Polyvagal-informed approaches, regulation, grounding and understanding responses to threat and overwhelm.

Self-Harm, Suicide & Crisis Support

Suicide intervention, working with self-harm, distress, crisis support and safety planning.

Children & Young People

Therapeutic approaches for supporting children and young people, including creative and developmentally appropriate ways of working.

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Neurodivergence

ADHD, autism, sensory differences and neurodivergent-affirming ways of working.

Creative & Flexible Therapy

Single-session approaches, creative therapeutic work and adapting therapy around the individual.

Finding the right counsellor isn't just about qualifications or experience.  It's also about whether you feel comfortable enough with the person you're talking to.
 

You don't need to know exactly what you want to work on, or even whether counselling is definitely the right next step.
 

If something you've read here feels familiar, you're welcome to get in touch. We can have an initial conversation and see how it feels from there.

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Neurodivergent Friendly & Trauma Recovery Counselling for young people and adults in North Leeds, Otley and Online.

Neurodivergent Friendly Supervision for Trainee & Qualified Counsellors in North Leeds, Otley and Online.

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