About me
Hi, I'm Dawn — an integrative counsellor and relationship therapist based in Didcot, Oxfordshire, seeing clients in person and online across the UK.
Most of what brings people to me comes back to relationships — with a partner, a family member, or with themselves. Often it's the same pattern on repeat: people-pleasing, losing your voice in a relationship, feeling "too much" or "not enough," or noticing you've quietly become someone else to keep the peace. You don't need a tidy explanation before we start. We work that out together.
Starting counselling can feel like a big step, and reaching out is often the hardest part. Finding the right counsellor matters — the relationship between us is what allows the work to actually feel safe enough to be honest in. There's no pressure to have the "right" words or a clear plan before you get in touch.
Who I work with
Adults — individual counselling for anxiety, relationship patterns, separation, and low confidence. A lot of the work is about reconnecting with who you are underneath the roles you play for everyone else — partner, parent, employee, the "reliable one" — and understanding the patterns that keep you settling for less than you need.
Couples — for communication breakdown, disconnection, loss of trust, or the same argument on loop. Couples counselling isn't about scoring who's right — it's about understanding what's actually happening between you, and finding a way back to feeling like a team.
Families — support when things feel disconnected at home: conflict, breakdowns in communication, or the sense that everyone's living alongside each other rather than together. This can mean sessions with the whole family, or working with a parent or carer to shift dynamics at home.
Young people (Year 7+) — anxiety, school avoidance (EBSA), friendship struggles, low self-esteem, exam pressure, grief, and big life transitions. Sessions are adapted to each young person — sometimes talking works, sometimes it's more creative or practical, and sometimes it just takes time to build trust.
Neurodivergent families — an autism-informed, neurodiversity-affirming approach that starts with understanding the individual rather than the diagnosis, plus family coaching using Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) to rebuild connection, confidence, and calm at home.
How I work
I draw on person-centred, attachment-focused, and IFS (Internal Family Systems) approaches, adapting to what actually fits you rather than running everyone through the same process.
Next step
I offer a free, no-obligation 15-minute intro call to talk through what's brought you here and whether I'm the right fit — no pressure either way. Parents and teens are both welcome to join.
Counselling in Didcot & Oxfordshire · Online across the UK
Training, qualifications & experience
- Level 4 & 5 Certificate in Professional Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling Practice (specialising in Children & Young People)
- Level 1 NVR Connective Family Practitioner
- TQUK Level 2 Understanding Autism
- Bereavement Counsellor - Children, Young People & Adults (complex bereavement, anticipatory grief & suicide)
- NSPCC - The Emotional Well Mind (Children & Young People)
- NSPCC - Working with suicidal young people
- Level 3 Safeguarding Practitioner
- Accredited Autism Affirming Therapist
- Outside of private practice, I work within primary school and secondary schools offering counselling support & Family Coaching
- IFS Therapy
- Couples/Relationship Counselling
My experience includes:-
- Counselling Support, face to face & online at Childline (national charity)
- Family Coaching (NVR) charitable organisations in Oxfordshire & school based support
- Counselling teens and young people in Oxfordshire Secondary Schools
- Counselling primary aged children (aged 11+) & families in primary school
- Bereavement support for children, young people and Adults both face to face and online for Cruse
- Experience of working with neurodivergent children and adults (accredited Autism Affirmed Therapist)
- Trauma informed therapist/approach
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.
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.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Family Coaching -
As a Family Coach, my role is to help families strengthen their relationships, improve communication, and create a more supportive home environment. Parenting is rewarding, but its not easy. And, its really not easy if you have no support network to rely on or if you sometimes struggle to understand what's behind your child's challenging behaviour. Using a Connective Family framework, that is rooted within NVR principals where aggression is present, enables focus on re-establishing connections and building relations.
Through our actions and reactions as adults, we can change family dynamics and support our children to learn and grow.
Whether you’re facing specific issues or simply want to build a stronger family foundation, family coaching can offer valuable guidance and support
Therapies offered
Fees
£55.00 - £70.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
- Concessions available for counselling students
- I offer a limited number of low income sessions
- Single sessions are available
When I work
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Further information
- Designated counselling space in the heart of Didcot that can accommodate small family groups and individuals
- Car parking
- Evening appointments available
- Face to Face & Online Sessions available
- Short & long term sessions available
- Online working throughout the UK
