About Leonie

My Journey

Through my own personal challenges and struggles, “Having my own lived experience of trauma has really helped me to empathise with my clients.”

I approach my work with kindness and without judgment, and try to remember what it feels like to be so hurt, fragile and at the end of my tether.

Whether you are a burnt-out overstimulated parent, or simply feeling lonely and abandoned, trying to make sense of a relationship ending, or a childhood scattered with unhappy memories, I would like to help you on a path to a more comforting place.

I embarked on a counselling journey that became life-changing. Then later, navigating becoming a parent and realising I had ADHD, life became challenging in new and unexpected ways, and I had to work out the best way to move forward.

I found new ways to process emotions, manage past trauma, and realised life didn’t have to feel quite so hard every day.

I knew the only job I wanted was to support people the way I had been helped.

I am passionate about helping people with their challenges and the power of talking therapies.

So often in life, we try to do everything by ourselves, we feel we must be strong and that need for toxic positivity takes over!

The past can keep us ashamed, silent, and trapped with overwhelming feelings and regrets.

All these limitations and pressures we put upon ourselves only serve to make us feel more isolated and powerless. Even when we are at rock bottom, we can still feel so ashamed and worried about asking for help, and when we do, we don’t always get the response we need or deserve.

 

My approach

The main aim I have for my clients in the first session is to feel heard, validated and safe. I hope they feel that finally they can take a deep breath and have found a space to begin their journey.

I am an integrative counsellor, which means I essentially work from a ‘toolbox’ of different therapy approaches which I tailor to your needs and personality. These include Psychodynamic Theory, Transactional Analysis, Trauma-informed, Person-Centred Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Gestalt, and Inner child work. Putting the jargon to one side I would describe my style as warm, empathic, collaborative and gently challenging.” There might even be a sprinkling of humour thrown in when appropriate and I definitely won’t just sit there in silence!

Clients are often surprised when they find counselling is a lot more relaxed than they first thought.

In our first session you will decide at the end if you want to work with me. I will be gentle, kind, and thoughtful in my approach, and I will really try to understand what it feels like to be you.

I remember what the first counselling session is like and how nerve-wracking it can be; therefore, I will do my absolute best to help you feel relaxed and comfortable.

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Experience and training

I am an experienced, accredited counsellor offering in-person counselling for clients in Colchester and surrounding areas, as well as online counselling across the UK, with a BACP accredited diploma in Integrative counselling.

Registered with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy means I abide by their code of ethics and have monthly clinical supervision with an experienced, accredited supervisor. I also hold full insurance, an up to date DBS certificate and am registered with the ICO.

I have experience working with Childhood trauma, ADHD, emotional and sexual abuse, addiction, domestic abuse, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, toxic relationships, birth and pregnancy issues, depression, anxiety, stress, PTSD and CPTSD

I regularly undertake continuing professional development as required by the BACP.

Additional CPD

  • Online Counselling Best Practice

  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

  • ADHD, and Neurodiversity in Clinical Practice

  • The Effects of Immature Parenting

  • ADHD In Females and Comorbid Trauma

  • The Neurobiology of Attachment

  • Reframing ADHD: What Clients Need from Therapy

  • Working with CPTSD

  • Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder

  • Working with Sexual Abuse

  • Somatic Approaches for Working with Anger and Treating Trauma

  • Certified Narcissistic Abuse Treatment Clinician (NATC) Training with Dr Ramani Durvasula

  • Polyvagal Theory and Application to Clinical Practice

  • Mindfulness in Therapy

  • Narcissistic Relationships

Featured in- https://www.idealhome.co.uk/all-rooms/all-rooms-decor/happy-trigger-home-decor-ideas

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“People only seriously consider change when they feel accepted for exactly who they are.”

— Carl Rogers, humanistic psychologist