Person-Centred Experiential counselling and psychotherapy for adults and young people, offering a space to explore whatever brings you to therapy.
Counselling for Young People
Individual counselling and psychotherapy for young people aged 11+
Growing up can come with a lot to navigate. School, friendships, family, identity, emotions and expectations can sometimes become difficult to manage alone.
I offer counselling and psychotherapy for young people aged 11 and over, with sessions adapted around the individual rather than expecting them to fit into one particular way of doing therapy.
They don't need to know exactly what's wrong or be able to explain how they're feeling before coming to counselling. We can start wherever they are.
Ages 11+ · Face-to-face near York · Online across the UK
What Might Bring a Young Person to Therapy?
There doesn't have to be one particular reason for starting counselling. Sometimes a young person knows exactly what's bothering them. Other times, they might just know that things don't feel quite right
Anxiety, Overthinking & Overwhelm
Worry, panic, overthinking, school anxiety, feeling overwhelmed or finding it difficult to switch off.
Self-Worth, Identity & Relationships
Confidence, self-worth, body image, friendships, family relationships, bullying, identity or feeling different from others.
Emotions That Feel Hard to Manage
Anger, frustration, low mood, emotional overwhelm, difficulty understanding feelings or feeling that emotions become too much.
Neurodivergence & Understanding Yourself
ADHD, autism, awaiting assessment, exploring neurodivergence, masking, sensory or emotional overwhelm, and understanding your own way of experiencing the world.
Other Things We Can Explore
Young people rarely fit neatly into one category. Counselling can also offer space for experiences such as:
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School difficulties
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Exam pressure & stress
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Anxiety & panic
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Low mood
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Grief & loss
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Life changes
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Anger & frustration
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Emotional regulation
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Self-harm
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Suicidal thought
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Difficult past experiences
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Feeling overwhelmed
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Relationship difficulties
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Family difficulties
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Identity & sense of self
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People-pleasing
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Perfectionism
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Boundaries
Therapy That Adapts to the Young Person
Young people don't always find it easy to sit down and explain exactly how they're feeling, and they shouldn't have to be good at talking to benefit from therapy.
Some young people want to talk. Others find it easier to open up while drawing, playing a simple game, using visual resources or having something else to focus on. Some need more time before they feel comfortable sharing very much at all.
I adapt sessions around the individual young person, their age, communication style and what helps them feel most comfortable.
My core approach remains Person-Centred Experiential, but the way we explore what's happening doesn't have to look the same for everyone.
What Might a Session Look Like?
There's no single way a counselling session with a young person has to look. Depending on what works for them, sessions might involve:
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Talking through thoughts, feelings and experiences
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Drawing or creative activities when words feel difficult
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Visual resources to help identify and understand emotions
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Simple games or activities that make talking feel less intense
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Psychoeducation to help make sense of what they're experiencing
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Exploring anxiety, anger, overwhelm or difficult thoughts
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Practical emotional regulation and coping tools
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Exploring identity, relationships and how they experience the world
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Sometimes simply having a space where they don't have to pretend they're okay
We don't have to use any particular activity or tool. We'll work out together what feels useful, and sessions can change as the young person becomes more comfortable.
For Parents & Carers
It can be difficult watching a young person struggle, particularly when you're unsure what might help or they don't always want to talk about what's happening.
For counselling to become a space where a young person feels able to speak openly, it's important that they have an appropriate level of confidentiality. Before therapy begins, I'll explain how confidentiality works so that both you and the young person understand what stays within sessions and the circumstances in which I may need to involve somebody else.
If I become concerned about a young person's safety or wellbeing, I'll follow appropriate safeguarding procedures and, wherever possible, talk this through with them.
Parents and carers are an important part of a young person's support system, while the counselling session remains their space.