Catherine Burton
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
About me
Are you carrying grief that sits close to the surface, anxiety or anger that flares for reasons you don’t fully understand, the ache of feeling different, unseen and out of step with the world around you, or perhaps your exhausted and numb to it all.
Something in your life may have shifted, a loss, an illness, a changing relationship, the unavailability of coping tools that once kept you steady, or a new awareness of how broken the world around you seems.
I offer spaces where the messy underlayers of life are welcome. Whether outside or inside I offer space to slow down, breathe, and feel supported. Together we can talk things through, learn, get creative, reconnect with the world, what matters to you, and figure out what you would like to change.
Maybe your not sure if therapy is for you, or how you feel about nature-based sessions? Perhaps you tried therapy before and it didn’t quite meet you. That’s okay, you don’t need to have everything worked out. Just send me an email via the button above & we’ll take it step by step. I will usually respond within 24 hours, and we can arrange a free 20–30 minute initial chat (online or by phone), so you can get a feel for how I work and whether it feels like a good fit.
Together, we can shape a way forward that honours your experience and helps you feel more connected, to yourself, to others, and to your life.
🌳 What We Could Work On Together
- Times of grief, loss, or emotional overwhelm
- Navigating anxiety, low mood, or trauma
- Living with chronic illness or health challenges
- Relationship shifts and family dynamics
- Climate anxiety and ecological grief
- Life transitions and identity changes
- Reconnecting with your inner rhythm and values
- Growing into a life that feels rooted, resilient, and meaningful
🌿 Where and When We Meet
I offer nature-based sessions in:
Allestree Park, Derby – a beautiful green space on the edge of the city, home to Britain’s largest urban rewilding project.
Black Rocks, Matlock – a striking gritstone outcrop surrounded by woodland and moorland.
You can also choose:
Cosy therapy rooms – in Allestree or Matlock, offering a calm indoor setting.
Online sessions – from wherever you feel most at ease.
My usual working days are (although I may be able to offer some flexibility to this):
- Monday - Online,
- Wednesday - Allestree, Derby,
- Thursday - Matlock and Black Rocks
Sessions are usually held weekly and last around an hour, creating a steady rhythm of support and space to explore what matters to you. I understand that life and health can be unpredictable, so I offer flexibility where needed. Together, we’ll find a pace and structure that feels manageable and nourishing.
🌿 How I Work
I am an MNCPS Accredited Counselling Psychotherapist and my approach is relational, body-aware, nature‑orientated, and trauma‑informed. I often work outdoors, where the living world around us can become part of the therapeutic process. Working with our natural world can offer meaning, challenge, perspective, and a relationship that invites us to listen more deeply. But this isn’t a requirement, nature is always with us, and we can bring its presence into the room if and when that feels right for you.
I offer a therapeutic space where we can build trust, warmth, and collaboration. You don’t need to show up as anything other than yourself. Together, we’ll shape a way of working that feels safe enough, attuned to your needs, and that supports your growth.
I draw from a range of practices, including:
- Nature connection and eco-therapy
- Holistic approaches that honour body, mind, and environment
- Mindfulness and compassion-based practices
- Working with your story and nature metaphors
- Creative and expressive tools
- Getting to know different parts of ourselves and what they need.
I understand how exhausting and isolating it can be to live with chronic illness or ongoing mental health challenges. My approach is flexible and responsive where possible, whether that means adapting sessions to meet your energy levels, exploring the emotional impact of illness, or simply offering a space where your experience is held with care and respect. If you need any adaptations to make our sessions more accessible, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
I don't offer crisis support or emergency sessions. If you're in acute distress, I'd want you to have something more immediately responsive. What I offer is longer-term, exploratory work for people who want to go a little deeper and have the capacity to show up consistently.
🌱 Why Try Taking Therapy Outdoors?
Taking therapy outdoors isn’t about using nature to feel better, though many people do find comfort and clarity in natural spaces. It’s about remembering we are part of something greater.
We’re not separate from nature; we’re part of it. The land, the seasons, the more-than-human world, they’re not just a backdrop to our lives, the are part of who we are.
Nature can offer meaning, challenge, perspective, and a relationship that invites us to listen more deeply. Whether we’re walking through the woods, working with natural objects, or processing grief for our world, we’re entering into a shared process, one where healing can unfold in connection, not isolation.
You don’t need to have a special bond with nature. Just a willingness to be curious, to notice, and to explore what feels right for you.
🌍 Ecological Grief & Care for the Earth
Many people are feeling a quiet ache, or a loud grief, for the damage being done to our planet. This grief is not a pathology, but a sign of deep connection and care. In my practice, I honour climate and ecological grief as a valid and meaningful response to living in a time of environmental crisis.
This work is not about fixing everything. It’s about tending to what’s alive in you and finding ways to stay present, grounded, and engaged, even when the world feels heavy. It’s about remembering that care itself is a form of resistance, and that healing can happen in relationship, with ourselves, each other, and the more-than-human world.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am an accredited Integrative Counselling Psychotherapist, with over 25 years of experience walking alongside people through life’s complexities in a variety of roles. My practice is rooted in relational, trauma-informed care, and shaped by decades of work across diverse roles and communities.
I’ve supported young people (13–25), adults, new parents, those navigating end-of-life transitions, individuals living with addiction, and activists facing burnout or despair. Whether in moments of grief, transformation, or quiet renewal, I offer a steady presence and collaborative space to explore, heal, and grow.
My work is shaped by a deep curiosity about humankind and my own lived experiences—grief, motherhood, chronic illness, and a growing awareness of the often oppressive systems we all navigate. I hold deep gratitude for the natural world and the healing I’ve found through reconnecting with it.
I also work with the Climate Psychology Alliance and Parents for Future, delivering Climate Circles, training facilitators, and supporting parents involved in activism.
The areas listed below reflect some of the training and experience I bring. But every person is a complex whole, and I’m most interested in your story, what brings you here, what matters to you, and what makes you unique.
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations. In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£60.00 per session
Concessions offered for
When I work
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early morning | |||||||
| Morning | |||||||
| Early afternoon | |||||||
| Late afternoon | |||||||
| Evening |
