Can therapy help with recovering from narcissistic abuse?

Yes. Therapy supports rebuilding self-trust, setting boundaries, releasing toxic shame, and regulating the nervous system. Neurodivergent clients may experience additional complexity that is taken into account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What types of therapy do you offer?

I offer an integrative, person-centred approach, drawing from somatic experiencing, polyvagal theory, compassion-focused therapy, attachment theory, and creative tools like inner child work. Therapy is flexible and collaborative, especially for neurodivergent clients.

Q: My issue isn't listed, can you still help?

Yes. The best predictor of change is the therapeutic relationship, not the exact modality. I also work with anxiety, depression, burnout, mood swings, relational difficulties, grief, trauma, and more.

Q: Can I do this work even if I don't know where to start?

Absolutely. Therapy is a space to explore even when you don't have clear answers or a story. Many clients start simply by feeling 'off' or unsure why they're here.

Q: What if I feel shame or guilt about how I parent sometimes?

This is common. Therapy helps you unpack pressure around 'perfect parenting' and focus on connection, presence, and repair rather than perfection.

Q: What happens if I begin to struggle financially?

We can discuss this together — financial challenges should not prevent you from accessing support.

Q: Do you offer online therapy?

Yes. I offer secure online sessions, particularly helpful for neurodivergent clients or those managing shame, people-pleasing, or perfectionism. Therapy is flexible and can be done from anywhere.

Q: How long does therapy take to see results?

It varies by person and goals. Some notice shifts within a few sessions, especially in safety and emotional regulation. Deeper patterns like chronic shame, attachment wounds, or trauma may require longer-term work.

Q: Are details of our counselling sessions kept confidential?

Yes, sessions are confidential. Exceptions include serious risk to self or others, safeguarding concerns, legal requirements, or court orders. You are always informed and involved.

Q: Is this approach helpful for neurodivergent clients?

Yes. My approach respects neurodivergent experiences, focusing on nervous system regulation, boundary setting, and self-awareness without forcing change.

Find answers to some of the questions you may have about my service and therapy/ counselling here. If you still need to know more information, feel free to contact me.

What types of therapy do you offer?

My approach is integrative and collaborative, meaning I draw from several evidence-based therapies to support what’s most helpful for you, rather than using a one-size-fits-all model.

At the core of my work is a person-centred foundation, which means I offer a warm, non-judgmental space where you're seen as the expert in your own life. From there, I incorporate tools and insights from a range of approaches, including:

Polyvagal theory – helping you understand and regulate your nervous system, especially if you struggle with anxiety, trauma, shutdown, or people-pleasing
Somatic experiencing – working gently with body sensations to release held tension, emotional pain, and trauma patterns
Compassion-focused therapy – building self-kindness and reducing shame, particularly for those with self-criticism or childhood wounds
Aspects of attachment theory, and creative tools (when helpful) inner child work and much more

I also work flexibly with neurodivergent clients (ADHD, sensory sensitivities), understanding that standard approaches don’t work for everyone. If something doesn’t feel right for you, or if there's something creative or alternative you'd like to bring in I’m open to exploring it. Therapy should feel safe, adaptable, and collaborative.

My issue isn't listed, can you still help?

Potentially, reach out to see if we connect! the best predictor of change in therapy is the relationship between therapist and client, not the modality. Some further areas I may work with are :

Anxiety or constant worry
Depression or low mood
Stress or burnout
Mood swings or irritability
Feeling overwhelmed or emotionally stuck
Difficulty coping with day-to-day life
Feeling lost, stuck, or unsure of who you are
Imposter syndrome
Struggles with body image
Difficulties in romantic, family, or work relationships
Breakups, divorce, or attachment difficulties
Feeling isolated, lonely, or misunderstood
Difficult childhood or family history
Emotional or physical abuse
Grief and loss
Flashbacks or intrusive memories
Difficulty trusting others
Feeling stuck in past experiences
Big life changes (moving, new job, parenthood, etc.)
Loss of a loved one
Health concerns or chronic illness
Career stress or work-life balance struggles
Ageing or retirement transitions

Can I do this work, even if I don't know where to start?

Yes. You don’t need to have all the answers or a clear story. Many parents come to therapy saying, “I just feel like something is off,” or “I don’t want to pass this on.” That’s a powerful starting point.

Whether you're navigating anxiety, overwhelm, people-pleasing, low self-worth, or deep emotional exhaustion, therapy offers space for you to be seen, supported, and nurtured. Because your healing matters just as much as your child’s wellbeing.

What if I feel shame or guilt about how I parent sometimes?

That’s incredibly common, especially for mothers and primary caregivers who feel pressure to be everything, get it all right, and never lose patience. Therapy can help you unpack this internal pressure and challenge the myths of “perfect parenting.”

It’s not about being flawless. It’s about being present, aware, and willing to repair when things go wrong because they will. And that’s okay. Children don’t need perfection, they need connection and emotional honesty.

What happens if I begin to struggle financially?

We can discuss this in more detail, please don't let this hold you back from receiving support.

Do you offer online therapy?

Yes, I offer secure online therapy sessions- particularly helpful if you're neurodivergent, managing shame, inner critic work, or perfectionism and need flexibility. Virtual counselling lets you benefit from somatic and person‑centred support from wherever you are.

How long does therapy take to see results?

The length of therapy varies from person to person, depending on your goals, your history, and the depth of the challenges you're working through. Some clients begin to notice meaningful shifts, like reduced anxiety, increased clarity, or better emotional regulation within a few sessions, especially when they feel safe, seen, and supported.

However, when therapy involves deeper-rooted patterns such as:

Chronic shame
Attachment wounds
People-pleasing and boundary issues
Neurodivergence-related masking or burnout
Trauma and nervous system dysregulation
Long-term depression or anxiety

…then a longer-term therapeutic relationship may be recommended. That’s because these issues often stem from early relational experiences or repeated stress that shaped your nervous system and sense of self over time. Healing them is not about quick fixes, it’s about gradually building safety, trust, and new internal wiring through consistent support.

In therapy, we work at a pace that honours your capacity. This isn’t about rushing toward symptom relief, but about helping your nervous system feel safe enough to let go of survival strategies, integrate emotions, and create real, sustainable change.

For some people, therapy might last a few months. For others, especially those healing from complex trauma or longstanding emotional patterns, it may be a longer journey. This is not because you're "broken," but because your system needs time and care to truly reorganise.

Therapy isn’t about fixing you, it’s about supporting your brain and body to remember how to heal.

Does this information get shared with anybody, including my GP?

No, everything you share in therapy is confidential and stays between you and your therapist, unless there’s a legal or safety-related reason to break that confidentiality.
I understand that opening up, especially about sensitive topics like shame, trauma, people-pleasing, abuse, boundaries, or feeling misunderstood as a neurodivergent person can feel deeply vulnerable. That’s why confidentiality is central to creating a safe therapeutic space where you can speak freely without fear of judgment or unwanted disclosure.
Your information is not shared with your GP, employer, family, or anyone else unless:

There is a serious risk of harm to yourself or someone else,
Or if required by law (e.g. safeguarding concerns or a court order).

If you're unsure, we’ll talk through exactly what confidentiality means in your sessions, and when- if ever it might need to be broken. You're always informed and involved.
Therapy is your space. You’re in control of what you share and what happens with that information.

Is this approach helpful for neurodivergent clients?

My work is grounded in a person-centred, trauma-informed, and nervous system-aware approach that respects and adapts to your unique way of experiencing the world. I don’t view neurodivergence as something that needs to be “fixed,” but as a different and completely valid way of being.

Many neurodivergent people come to therapy carrying layers of:

Masking fatigue
Chronic shame or feeling “too much” or “not enough”
People-pleasing or boundary confusion
Sensory overwhelm or shutdown
A history of being misunderstood, pathologised, or dismissed

Through somatic therapy, polyvagal-informed work, and a deeply respectful relational space, we focus on helping your nervous system feel safer not by forcing change, but by supporting regulation, self-awareness, and the release of internalised pressure to conform.

Together, we can explore:

How your body signals stress or safety
How to set boundaries without guilt
What self-regulation looks like for you
Ways to reduce burnout, sensory overload, or emotional overwhelm
And how to reconnect with your authentic self - not the version you’ve had to perform

There’s no one right way to be in therapy. We’ll co-create a space that fits you, not the other way around.

Can therapy help with recovering from narccistic abuse?

Yes, therapy can be a powerful tool in recovering from narcissistic abuse, especially when the effects include chronic shame, people-pleasing patterns, poor boundaries, anxiety, or emotional dysregulation. Survivors often feel confused, depleted, and disconnected from themselves, especially if the abuse has been long-term or started in childhood.

At its core, narcissistic abuse often impacts the nervous system, creating patterns of hypervigilance, freeze, or fawn responses (like chronic people-pleasing or fear of saying no). These are not just “mental” habits, they are deeply physiological survival strategies, wired into the body through repeated exposure to unsafe or manipulative dynamics.

My therapeutic approach combines person-centred therapy, which offers deep empathy, validation, and unconditional positive regard with body-based, somatic, nervous-system-informed work. This helps clients rebuild self-trust, restore their sense of agency, and feel safer in their own bodies.

For neurodivergent individuals (including those with ADHD, autism, or sensory sensitivity), the experience of narcissistic abuse can be even more complex, often involving masking, boundary confusion, or being more vulnerable to gaslighting. We recognize these layers and create a space that honours your neurodiversity while supporting your healing.

Through therapy, you can begin to:

Release toxic shame
Recognise and stop people-pleasing patterns
Rebuild boundaries without guilt
Understand trauma responses (like fawning or dissociation)
Calm and regulate your nervous system
Reconnect with who you are, not who you were told to be

You are not broken. Your responses made sense in the context you were in.
Therapy helps you reclaim your voice, your boundaries, and your nervous system - one safe step at a time.

Can therapy help with perfectionism and the inner critic?

Yes therapy can be deeply effective in helping you understand, soften, and shift perfectionism and a harsh inner critic. These patterns often develop as protective strategies early in life especially in environments where love, approval, or safety felt conditional.

Perfectionism isn’t just about high standards it’s often about shame, fear of failure, fear of being judged, or not feeling good enough. The inner critic is usually a voice that formed to protect you from rejection, embarrassment, or punishment but over time, it can become relentless and emotionally draining.

In therapy, we explore these patterns with curiosity and compassion, not judgment. Using a combination of:

Person-centred therapy, to provide an empathic, non-judgmental space
Compassion-focused approaches, to counter internal shame with kindness and self-acceptance
Somatic and nervous system-informed work, to notice how perfectionism shows up in your body (e.g. tension, anxiety, restlessness) and begin to release it
Polyvagal theory, to help you shift out of survival states like fight (hyper-control) or freeze (shut down)

We’ll also explore how people-pleasing, hyper-independence, or overthinking might be linked to perfectionism — particularly for neurodivergent clients who’ve learned to mask or overcompensate in order to fit into neurotypical systems.

Therapy helps you:

Understand the roots of your perfectionism
Build a healthier, more flexible relationship with achievement
Develop a kinder, more supportive internal voice
Learn to rest, say no, and make mistakes without spiralling

The goal isn’t to get rid of the part of you that wants to do well it’s to stop letting it run your life from a place of fear.

Can we combine therapy and coaching?

Yes. Some sessions may lean more towards exploration and healing, while others will be about clarity, action, and accountability. I find blending the two can be especially supportive for people who want both depth and direction. Read more on services here.

How do I know if I need therapy?

You don’t need to have a diagnosis, a crisis, or a perfectly labelled issue to benefit from therapy.
Many people come to therapy simply because something doesn’t feel right, even if they can’t explain what it is.

You might:

Feel stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected from yourself
Feel disconnected from others, conflict avoidant or always in conflict
Struggle with anxiety, low mood, or constant overthinking
You're afraid to take risks, you're too rigid
Notice patterns of people-pleasing, perfectionism, or difficulty setting boundaries
Carry shame or self-doubt that won’t go away, no matter how hard you try
Be healing from trauma, grief, or relationship issues past or present
Be navigating neurodivergence in a world that feels misaligned
Feel like you’re “too sensitive” or always managing other people’s emotions
Have experienced emotional neglect, narcissistic abuse, or difficulty trusting others
Struggle with emotional regulation, burnout, or masking who you really are
Your life has changed, you have lost people you love

And sometimes, you won’t have any clear “reason” at all.
You might just feel off. Numb. Lost. Disconnected. Not quite yourself.
You might not even know why you’re here, just that something needs attention. That’s okay.

In therapy, you don’t have to have the answers. You don’t have to justify your pain. You don’t even need to explain it perfectly. We’ll explore it together gently, and at your pace.

Whether you're navigating something specific or just carrying a feeling that won’t go away, therapy can help you reconnect with yourself, your body, and your sense of aliveness.

How can you help parents?

Therapy provides a non-judgmental space where you can:

Explore your own upbringing and how it impacts your parenting
Understand emotional triggers and where they come from
Learn to regulate your nervous system so you can respond instead of react
Break cycles of intergenerational trauma or emotional disconnection
Develop more self-compassion because healing yourself is parenting, too
Create more safety and attunement in your relationship with your child

How long does therapy take to see change?

Every journey is unique. Some clients begin to feel shifts in how they relate to their inner critic or nervous system patterns within a few sessions. Others exploring deeper shame or ingrained people‑pleasing behaviors may benefit from a longer therapeutic relationship.

How regular will our sessions be?

Most clients begin with weekly sessions, especially in the early stages of therapy. This consistency helps build trust, emotional safety, and momentum. All of which are essential for deeper work, especially when you're exploring issues like trauma, anxiety, depression, people-pleasing, shame, or difficulty setting boundaries.

Therapy is not just about talking, it's about building a regulated relationship over time. For those with a history of attachment wounds, neurodivergence (e.g. ADHD, autism), or nervous system dysregulation, repetition and predictability are key. Regular sessions help your brain and body begin to feel safe enough to lower defences, explore patterns, and create new ways of relating, both to yourself and others.

That said, therapy is flexible. Some clients move to fortnightly or monthly sessions after establishing a foundation. We’ll work together to find a rhythm that meets your needs, your goals, and your capacity. If you can only do monthly sessions for example, I will work with you to understand this and find a plan that works for you.

Is therapy right for me?

Counselling/therapy isn’t just for extreme cases, and it’s not just for the young.
Just like you wouldn’t wait for your teeth to fall out before seeing a dentist, you don’t have to wait for a breakdown to seek support for your mental health. In fact, many of the more “extreme” emotional or behavioural issues people bring to therapy are the result of years of emotional neglect, stress, or disconnection... not because something is inherently wrong with them.

We are human beings wired for connection, and when that connection is absent, inconsistent, or unsafe especially in early life, our nervous system adapts in ways that can lead to anxiety, shame, emotional shutdown, chronic people-pleasing, difficulty setting boundaries, or feeling “stuck” later in life. Therapy helps us come back into relationship with ourselves and others in a way that supports nervous system regulation, emotional healing, and long-term change.

Counselling offers a relational space where your experiences are met with empathy, curiosity, and compassion. This is what makes person-centred therapy -which values the therapeutic relationship itself as a source of healing, so powerful.

And no, it’s never too late to benefit from counselling. The oldest client I’ve worked with was 90, and he achieved exactly what he came for. The human brain is capable of change throughout the lifespan, thanks to neuroplasticity and therapy supports that by creating the kind of emotional and relational environment where change becomes possible.

Whether you're neurodivergent, processing trauma, learning to set boundaries for the first time, or just feeling overwhelmed and unsure why, you don't have to wait until you're in crisis to ask for support.

Are details of our counselling sessions kept confidential?

Everything said within our sessions will be kept confidential, there are a few restrictions to this which include:
An act of terrorism.
Money or Drug laundering.
Regarding any child (person under the age of 18) or vulnerable adult who may be at risk or has been harmed
You are likely to represent a danger to others or yourself.
Court orders request.
Coroners’ orders request.

How can somatic therapy support issues like shame or people‑pleasing?

Somatic therapy helps by working directly with the body and nervous system, where patterns like shame, people-pleasing, and emotional suppression are often stored, not just mentally, but physiologically.

Many people who struggle with chronic shame, perfectionism, or people-pleasing aren’t just being “too nice” they’re unconsciously operating from survival responses, like the fawn response (where we appease others to stay safe). These patterns often develop early in life, especially in environments where love, approval, or safety were conditional. Over time, these protective strategies become automatic, hardwired into the nervous system and showing up in the body as tension, freeze, or disconnection from one’s own needs.

Somatic therapy offers a way to gently bring awareness to these patterns in the body, helping you:

Notice when you're abandoning yourself to keep the peace
Reconnect with sensations that signal boundaries or discomfort
Release stored stress or survival energy
Build internal safety so that it becomes easier to say “no,” speak your truth, and tolerate the discomfort of not pleasing everyone
Shift out of shame by learning to relate to your body and emotions with curiosity instead of judgment

This work is especially powerful when combined with person-centred therapy, where you're met with warmth and empathy, the kind of connection that helps rewire old attachment wounds and supports nervous system regulation. I have found it much easier to work with the body after building trust with clients especially those who may have CPTSD or a history of not being able to trust others.

If you're neurodivergent, somatic therapy can also help make sense of sensory overload, masking fatigue, or emotional overwhelm in a way that honours your body’s unique wiring.

Can therapy help with anxiety and depression?

Yes, therapy can be highly effective for anxiety and depression, especially when these issues are rooted in chronic stress, shame, trauma, or relational patterns like people-pleasing and difficulty setting boundaries.

Many people with anxiety and depression experience not just mental distress, but physical symptoms: racing thoughts, fatigue, sleep issues, numbness, or a nervous system that feels constantly "on edge" or shut down. These are not personal failures, they are often the result of a dysregulated nervous system trying to cope.

My approach combines person-centred therapy, a compassionate, non-judgmental space where you’re met as a whole person - with body-based, nervous-system and somatic informed tools. This allows us to work with both the emotional and physiological roots of your distress.

I also recognise that many people struggling with anxiety or depression:

Feel ashamed of their emotions
Struggle with overthinking and self-criticism
Have poor boundaries or say yes when they want to say no
Feel stuck in people-pleasing or perfectionism
Are neurodivergent (e.g. ADHD, autism, sensory sensitivities,dyspraxia, etc) and have been misunderstood or misdiagnosed

By working with both the mind and body, therapy helps you:

Understand the why behind your anxiety or low mood
Regulate your nervous system for greater calm and resilience
Break free from shame and self-blame
Break free from trauma bonding and enmeshment
Set healthier emotional and relational boundaries
Build self-worth that isn’t based on productivity or pleasing others
Accept and support your neurodivergent traits, rather than suppressing them

You don’t need to fix yourself- you need to feel safe enough to be yourself.
Therapy helps you create that safety internally and externally, so healing becomes possible.

How do I know if I need support with shame, people‑pleasing, or perfectionism?

Ask yourself: Do you often feel “not enough,” avoid conflict to keep others happy, or feel overwhelmed by self‑criticism? These are common signs. Therapy that focuses on shame resilience, nervous system regulation, and neurodivergent affirmation can be transformative.

Can you work with narcissism?

Yes, I can work with individuals who identify with narcissistic traits or who have been given a diagnosis or label related to narcissism.

I approach this work with curiosity, compassion, and a non-pathologising lens. Narcissistic behaviours often develop as adaptive responses to deep shame, unmet attachment needs, emotional neglect, or early relational trauma. Beneath the surface, many people with narcissistic traits are dealing with intense vulnerability, difficulty with emotional regulation, or a chronic sense of not feeling “good enough.”

Using a person-centred foundation, I offer a non-judgmental space where you can safely explore the patterns that may be causing conflict in relationships, difficulty with empathy, or struggles around self-worth and control. We may also draw on polyvagal theory and nervous system-informed approaches to work with underlying dysregulation, especially if you experience reactivity, emotional shutdown, or intense self-protection.

For neurodivergent clients (e.g. ADHD, autism), what is sometimes misinterpreted as narcissism may actually be masking, burnout, or social communication differences so we’ll also take care to understand the context of your experiences.

Therapy isn’t about blame , it’s about understanding. Whether you're seeking support around your own behaviours, self-image, or relationships, therapy can help you develop greater emotional awareness, relational depth, and inner stability.

What’s the difference between therapy and coaching?

Therapy often looks back — helping you untangle old patterns, wounds, and beliefs that still shape your present. Coaching looks forward — focusing on your strengths, setting clear goals, and finding practical ways to move toward them. Both can be powerful in their own way, and sometimes the two overlap beautifully. Read more here.

How can coaching help me?

Coaching can help when you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or simply ready for change. It’s about building confidence, creating healthier habits, navigating life transitions, and learning how to quiet the inner critic that keeps you from stepping into your full potential.

Enquire & Book today!