What happens in counselling and therapy?
Your journey and what happens in counselling and psychotherapy
Thanks for being here. I’d like to take a moment to share some reflections about what therapy with me might look like. While this post definitely talks about what happens in counselling and therapy, I’d like to start by sharing a section of the poem ‘Traveller, There Is No Path’ by Antonio Machado:
Traveller, your footprints
Are the path and nothing more;
Traveller, there is no path,
The path is made by walking.
By walking the path is made
And when you look back
You'll see a road
Never to be trodden again.
I’m Laura, a counsellor, trauma therapist, meditation teacher, somatic practitioner and a space holder and I think this quote beautifully sums up one of my core beliefs as a therapist and counsellor: I am here to hold a safe, trauma-aware space, but that the path is made by walking on it together. I am always happy to offer perspective and knowledge. I also offer psychoeducation, which means sharing what I know psychologically about your mental health experiences, but I also believe that your path is something for you to have autonomy and agency over.
All of that said, there are some key aspects of the way I’ll work with you as a therapist. I work with a wide range of people from all backgrounds and walks of life. Within that, a majority of my clients are neurodivergent, queer, exploring non-traditional relationships, or have other aspects (or intersectional-aspects) of identity that are impacted by systemic issues.
I don’t expect everything I share or offer to align with all of my clients. Everyone is different and we’re all seeking different things from the therapy process. If some of what I share resonates while other parts don’t, take what feels supportive and leave the rest. Where ever you are and what ever you need, my intention is always the same: to create a therapeutic space that feels supportive and compassionately held.
Keep reading to find out more about what working together might look like.
What happens in therapy: we build a relationship that is based on trust and connection
Our relationship is a partnership and it’s important to me to create a safe, supported space where your thoughts and feelings are heard. Working with a new counsellor is a process of discovery and building trust can take time. Therapy isn’t always easy. Change often asks us to move beyond familiar ways of being, but it’s important that this happens at a pace that feels manageable rather than overwhelming. My approach is grounded in trauma-informed care, with a strong focus on safety, pacing and nervous system awareness.
I understand psychological distress not as something “wrong” with you, but as an adaptive response to experiences or environments that have overwhelmed the nervous system or disrupted connection to self and others.
A big part of the work, particularly in trauma therapy, involves creating relational safety and containment. We’ll work collaboratively to build trust, awareness, regulation and capacity to be with here-and-now experience.
This can include exploring patterns that emerge in relationships, attachment dynamics and the ways past experiences continue to shape the present. Sometimes this means looking at the past directly. Other times, it means working with what’s happening in the present. You can find out more about my approach when working with trauma here.
As part of our work we’ll explore resourcing, including any accommodations you might need in the therapy space. You’ll notice that, as someone who’s AuDHD, I’ll also make accommodations for myself where I need them. This is partly to make sure I can fully show up for you, but also to normalise attending to needs that we might have learned to suppress or mask.
What happens in counselling and therapy: we explore neuroscience, body based approaches and practical tools for safety in a trauma informed space
Neuroscience and somatics underpin all of my work, and a key aspect of my approach is how we engage with the body and nervous system, something I’m deeply passionate about. Our bodies often hold our life experiences, including the impact of trauma, stress, and emotional pain.
Many of us have developed a really good cognitive understanding of the things we struggle with, but are totally disconnected from our bodies, which means that we’re not fully processing our experiences. There’s no shame in this. Everything about the way we live in the (western) world encourages us to stay in our heads: to analyse, explain to and push through discomfort rather than slowing down and feeling it. Understanding why we feel the way we do is really helpful, but real integration happens when our bodies are given the space to experience, express, and release what they’ve been carrying.
My work is rooted in trauma-informed practice, which recognises how trauma affects the mind, body and nervous system. Together, we explore ways of resourcing your nervous system safely and gradually.
For many people, especially those who have experienced trauma or who are neurodivergent, feeling safe in the body can feel unfamiliar or even impossible. Part of the work is gently exploring ways of feeling more grounded, connected and supported.
This might involve:
Building awareness of emotions, feelings, and sensations
Exploring grounding and resourcing
Learning about the nervous system and trauma responses
Building capacity to stay present with difficult feelings safely
What happens in counselling and therapy: we create a space where you can be fully yourself
Sometimes what we need most is a space where we can show up exactly as we are and be met with compassion and acceptance. For many people, therapy is the first place they’ve experienced this kind of support.
As a neurodivergent therapist who works with many neurodivergent clients, I know how powerful it can be to exist in a space where there’s less pressure to mask, perform or fit in. Whether you’re neurodivergent or not, you’re welcome to bring your full self into the therapeutic space.
Our work together might involve:
Exploring a specific issue or struggle
Exploring emotions and bodily sensations
Identifying repeating patterns
Exploring relationships and attachment dynamics
Discussing identity, meaning and existential questions
Exploring the therapeutic relationship itself
Developing awareness of your needs, boundaries and emotions
I’ll always aim to adapt the process in ways that support your comfort and safety.
How we’ll prioritise what we explore in counselling and therapy
When we come to therapy for the first time, or even after working with therapists who take a more directive approach, we can sometimes assume that the therapist has all the answers. While my training and experience allow me to bring knowledge, perspective, and curiosity to our work, one thing I can never be an expert on is you! Only you can understand the meaning, significance, and impact of your experiences.
Clients sometimes ask what I think they should focus on, and my response is usually that I can't fully know that for you. I can share what I'm noticing, what I'm wondering about, and where I think there may be areas worth exploring more deeply. If it feels as though we've overlooked something important or not spent enough time with a particular issue, I'll always bring that into the conversation.
At the same time, I can't know what has affected you most this week, what feels most present for you today, or how past experiences may be showing up in your life right now. That's why I see therapy as a collaborative process, where your insight into your own experience is just as important as anything I bring into the room.
In this post, about what to talk about in therapy, I share the following:
“One question I often ask new clients is: “Why now?” Often the issue you’re bringing to therapy has been present for a while but something has shifted that means you’re ready to reach out for support. This can be a really useful place to begin. What was it that made you decide to begin therapy now not six months ago? What do you hope will change as you explore your circumstances in therapy?”
In the same post, I’ve shared suggestions about what to talk about in our sessions if you’re not sure where to start.
How we’ll work with awareness, compassion and acceptance
As we deepen awareness, we can uncover patterns, insights and parts of ourselves that have been hidden or silenced. This process can feel transformative, but also vulnerable at times. My role is to support you in approaching yourself with curiosity and compassion rather than judgment.
I’m deeply committed to offering therapy that is affirming and culturally aware, including:
Anti-racist and race-affirming practice
LGBTQIA+ and gender affirming therapy
Disability and neurodiversity affirming approaches
Fat-positive and body-liberatory work
At the same time, I understand that if you hold marginalised aspects of identity, you might feel cautious about working with a therapist who doesn’t share those experiences. I offer a free 15-minute consultation so you can ask questions and get a sense of whether I feel like the right fit for you.
How the process of counselling and therapy process unfolds
My approach is integrative, which means I draw from different therapeutic models depending on your needs. Everyone is different, so there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
Some of the approaches I integrate include:
Gestalt therapy: a focus on present-moment awareness, relational dynamics and understanding what’s happening in the here and now
Psychodynamic therapy: exploring how past experiences and relationships shape your emotional world and current ways of being
Somatic therapy and polyvagal theory: supporting connection with the body and nervous system, including how we feel our feelings
Trauma-informed therapy: supporting you in a way that prioritises safety, pacing, collaboration and nervous system awareness
With some clients I also explore psychospiritual therapy and/or nature and eco therapy.
Rather than being a toolbox of approaches that we dip in and out of, I work from a theoretically integrated model which recognises that our experiences, relationships, nervous systems, identities, histories, and ways of coping are deeply interconnected, and I believe therapy should reflect that complexity with care and flexibility. Therapy, for me, is not about “fixing” you, but about helping you understand yourself more deeply and supporting to move towards a way of being that feels more grounded, connected, and authentic.
Some final thoughts on whether therapy with me is right for you
I hope this offered some clarity around what happens in therapy. Working with me might be a good fit if you’re open to exploring not just your thoughts and emotions, but also your body, nervous system and the wider context of your experience. Therapy often involves moments of vulnerability, but we’ll always move at a pace that feels manageable for you.
You don’t need to arrive with clear goals. Many people begin therapy simply knowing that something needs to change. We can shape the direction of the work together, in a way that feels supportive and meaningful for you.
Above all, therapy with me is collaborative, relational and individual. If you’re open to curiosity, willing to come as you are and ready to explore at your own pace, there’s space here for you.
I currently have a waiting list for therapy, which you’re welcome to join via head to my counselling page. You might also want to explore my FAQs.
