About me
Hello and welcome - I’m Davina Hanlon, counsellor, expressive arts therapist and founder of Room To Be You. Based in a cosy private therapy room tucked away upstairs in The Barn at Cedar Farm in Mawdesley, I offer a gentle, down-to-earth space to help you process life’s challenges and reconnect with yourself. You are warmly invited to visit my website to view photos of the space or get in touch if you’d like to pop by and see the room in person before we begin.
How I Work
My practice is rooted in Person-Centred Therapy. I believe that when you are offered true empathy, warmth, and non-judgemental support, you naturally gain the space needed to feel heard, heal, and move forward. My role as your therapist is to provide the safe physical and emotional space where that growth can naturally happen.
I also offer Expressive Arts Therapy. If words ever feel hard to find, we can explore simple creative ways to express what’s going on for you, at your own pace. You do not need any artistic experience to work in this way.
Your Therapy Options (flexible)
- Talking Therapy (Counselling): A compassionate, client-led space to explore your thoughts and feelings (in-person, online, or by phone).
- Expressive Arts Therapy: Gentle creative exploration using a range of materials and media when words aren't enough (no artistic skill needed).
- Walk & Talk Therapy: Outdoor sessions in the fresh air, using gentle movement to help process emotions (well-behaved dogs are very welcome).
- Single Sessions (Room To Reflect) & Short-Term Therapy: Focused sessions for life transitions, emotional release, or short-term goals.
- Long-Term Therapy: Open-ended, ongoing therapeutic support tailored to your personal growth.
How To Get Started
Taking the first step into therapy can feel daunting, so I aim to make the process as gentle and comfortable as possible. We begin with a free, informal 20-minute introductory chat - either by phone or online - to talk through what brings you to therapy and answer any questions you might have.
In our first full session, we will work entirely at your pace to explore your hopes for therapy, discuss any specific needs or preferences, and establish what feels safe and helpful for you. To ensure you feel completely clear and supported, we will review a simple Working Agreement and Privacy Policy, so you know exactly what to expect from our time together and how I keep your information safe and confidential. My Privacy Policy is available on my website.
Training, qualifications & experience
Before establishing Room To Be You, I spent a significant part of my early career working in Public Health within the NHS. Championing health and community wellbeing gave me a thorough understanding of how our surroundings - our upbringing, relationships, work, housing, where we live and life stresses - shape our physical and mental health. Wanting to work directly with what makes us uniquely human on an individual level, led to a conscious career shift, culminating in a Master’s Degree in Psychotherapy and Counselling integrating Creative Approaches from Edge Hill University. I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Registration number: 415625.
A Trauma-Informed, Holistic Approach
I view the challenges you face not as personal "failings," but as natural, understandable responses to difficult life experiences. Working through a trauma-informed lens, your safety, choice, and pace are always my highest priorities. In short, I work with you as a whole person, not a diagnosis or condition.
In addition to my private practice at Cedar Farm, I remain committed to local community therapy - providing trauma-informed counselling for women navigating hardship and domestic abuse at Chorley Women’s Centre, as well as supporting clients from all backgrounds referred through NHS Talking Therapies with a counselling provider in West Lancashire.
Member organisations
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
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
£40.00 - £50.00
Additional information
Standard Fee: £50 per 60-minute session
Concessionary Fee: £40 per 60-minute session (for students, trainees and those on low incomes)
Block Booking: 10% discount when paying for 4 or more sessions in advance.
Flexible Support: I hold a small number of reduced-fee spaces for those facing financial hardship. Please don't hesitate to mention your situation during our initial phone call so we can discuss options.
When I work
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Further information
Discover More Online
If you’d like to learn a little more about me before reaching out, I invite you to visit my website at www.roomtobeyou.co.uk. There, you’ll find my full story, details of my professional qualifications and experience, and answers to frequently asked questions about starting therapy and the different therapy options. You can also browse a photo gallery of my studio at Cedar Farm along with images of my own creative expressions.
About Cedar Farm, Mawdesley
Located in the heart of the lovely rural Lancashire countryside in Mawdesley, Cedar Farm is a vibrant yet peaceful destination housed in beautifully converted traditional farm buildings. My therapy room, Room To Be You can be found on the upstairs mezzanine level of The Barn. My intention has been to recreate the feel of the Farm in my therapy room with its natural materials and farm roots - you might even find an owl on a branch (not a real one, you'll have to come and see for yourself).
Far from a clinical setting, Cedar Farm is a creative and welcoming community hub home to independent artisan craft studios, wellness practitioners, contemporary art galleries, coffee shops, and local food venues. Surrounded by green fields and open air, Cedar Farm offers a great space where you can enjoy a quiet moment, walk through relaxed courtyard spaces, and grab a warm drink or a bite to eat before or after your session.
https://www.cedarfarm.net
