Donna Ellis

Hi, I'm Donna, a Humanistic and Integrative Counsellor & Psychotherapist.
Has life started to feel overwhelming? You may be the person everyone else relies on, yet inside you're feeling exhausted, anxious or no longer quite yourself. Perhaps you've been trying to cope on your own for a long time, finding it difficult to talk about how you're feeling, or you're simply looking for a different way forward.

You may be struggling with anxiety, stress, burnout, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, the impact of illness or loss, or facing a significant life transition. Perhaps you're trying to keep up with the demands of work or study while feeling overwhelmed and wondering how to hold it all together. Whatever has brought you here, you don't have to face it alone.

I offer counselling and psychotherapy for adults aged 18 and over in Sheffield, as well as online and telephone sessions across the UK. Whether you're looking for support with a specific difficulty or want to understand yourself more deeply, I offer a warm, confidential and non-judgemental space where we can explore what's going on together.

How I work
I believe the relationship we build together is at the heart of therapy. When you feel listened to, accepted and understood, it can become easier to talk about things that may have been difficult to share before.

I don't believe there's a one-size-fits-all approach to therapy. Everyone's experiences are different, so I'll adapt the way we work to your individual needs, while drawing on my clinical knowledge and experience to guide our work together.

Sometimes therapy can feel challenging. It may involve exploring thoughts, feelings or experiences that feel painful, confusing, lonely or difficult to put into words. We'll approach this together, at a pace that feels right for you, while recognising your strengths, resilience and what's already helping you cope.

My approach
My work is rooted in person-centred values and also draws on Gestalt therapy, attachment theory and psychodynamic thinking where these ideas are helpful. This means we'll pay attention to what's happening in your life now, how you relate to other people and, importantly, how you see and treat yourself. Where it feels helpful, we may also explore how earlier experiences and relationships have shaped patterns that continue to influence how you feel, think and relate to others today.

I work in a trauma-informed way, which means I understand how traumatic experiences can affect a person's sense of safety. I aim to provide a supportive and collaborative space where we can explore your experiences at a pace that feels manageable for you.

I have experience supporting people with:
Anxiety and stress
Burnout and emotional exhaustion
Low self-esteem and loss of confidence
Relationship difficulties
Bereavement and loss
Trauma and the impact of difficult life experiences
Illness and health-related challenges
Significant life transitions
Work-related stress
Identity and self-understanding
Academic pressures and student wellbeing
Feeling stuck or overwhelmed

Fees & Availability

I offer in-person counselling in Sheffield, alongside online and telephone sessions across the UK.

I work with both short-term and longer-term therapy. Weekly appointments are my usual way of working because, in my experience, they provide the strongest foundation for developing the therapeutic relationship and maintaining continuity in our work together.

I offer a free, no-obligation 20-minute video consultation so we can discuss what has brought you to therapy and whether working together feels like the right fit.

Sessions last 50 minutes, and my current fee is £55 per session. Payment is by bank transfer and is due 48 hours before each appointment to secure your booking.

Fees are reviewed annually, and clients are always given advance notice of any fee increase.

Cancellation Policy

More than 48 hours' notice – no charge.
24–48 hours' notice – 50% of the session fee.
Less than 24 hours' notice or missed appointments – the full session fee is payable.

Frequency

Therapy works best when sessions are attended regularly. I usually recommend weekly sessions, particularly at the beginning, as consistency helps us build trust, maintain momentum and make the most of our work together. If your needs or circumstances change, we can review this together and agree what works best.

Getting in touch
You can contact me by telephone or email. If my voicemail is reached, please leave a message together with your preferred method of contact. To help protect your privacy, I'll only return telephone calls if requested.

I aim to respond to all enquiries within 48 hours.

Beginning therapy
Once we've agreed to arrange a first appointment, I'll send you a short intake form to gather some practical information and help me understand your current circumstances before we meet.

Our first session is an opportunity for us to begin getting to know one another, explore your experiences in more depth and discuss how we'll work together, including our working agreement and any questions you may have.

The first few sessions allow us to develop a shared understanding of your experiences, identify recurring patterns that may be contributing to your current difficulties, and establish a safe and collaborative therapeutic relationship. This creates a secure foundation for our ongoing work together, allowing therapy to develop at a pace that feels right for you.