About me
Feeling overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, stuck in your thoughts or never quite “good enough”?
Perhaps you (or your child) overthink conversations, worry about getting things wrong, struggle with anxiety, or feel emotions very deeply. You may feel misunderstood, different, or like you’re constantly masking how hard things really feel on the inside.
Many of the adults, children and young people I work with have spent a long time trying to hold everything together while quietly struggling underneath.
I’m Donna, an NCPS Accredited Counsellor working with adults, children and young people in Gateshead and online across the UK. I offer a warm, down-to-earth and trauma-informed space where you can begin to understand yourself with curiosity rather than judgement.
I have particular experience supporting:
Anxiety and overthinking
ADHD and neurodivergence
Emotional regulation difficulties
Trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
Low self-esteem and self-doubt
School anxiety and emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA)
Friendship and relationship difficulties
Masking and feeling “too much” or “not enough”
Burnout and emotional overwhelm
Alongside my professional training and experience, I also bring lived understanding to my work, helping me connect with clients in a genuine, compassionate and human way.
How I Work
My approach is relational, practical and tailored to the individual. I believe there is always a reason behind how we think, feel and respond, even when those patterns feel confusing or overwhelming.
Together, we might explore:
What is happening in your mind and body
Why certain situations feel so intense
How past experiences may still be affecting you
Ways to feel safer, calmer and more confident in yourself
Healthier ways of responding to difficult thoughts and emotions
I draw from a range of approaches including CBT, mindfulness, psychoeducation and creative ways of working, adapting sessions to suit the person in front of me. This is often especially helpful for neurodivergent clients, where a flexible, visual and compassionate approach can make a real difference.
Working With Children & Young People
I provide a safe, consistent and supportive space where children and young people can express themselves in ways that feel comfortable to them — whether through talking, creativity, psychoeducation or practical emotional regulation work.
Alongside my private practice, I also work within school settings. This gives me a strong understanding of:
School anxiety
Masking
Friendship difficulties
Neurodivergence within education
Emotional dysregulation
Low self-esteem
The pressures children and teenagers face both socially and academically
Where appropriate, I can also support communication between home and school so that parents, carers and young people feel more understood and supported.
A Warm, Supportive Space
Many of the people I work with are thoughtful, caring and highly self-aware — but often incredibly hard on themselves. Therapy can help make sense of those patterns and begin building a kinder relationship with yourself.
Starting counselling can feel like a big step, but you do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out.
I offer a free 30-minute phone call so we can talk things through and see whether I feel like the right fit for you or your child.
Sessions are available in person in Lobley Hill, Gateshead, and online across the UK.
As I work from a dedicated private therapy space at home, I’m able to keep my fees more accessible while still providing a professional, safe and supportive environment.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Accredited member of NCPS (National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society)
- Accredited member of the NCPS CYPT (Children and Young People's Therapist)
- Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy
- Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Level 1
- EFT Accredited practitioner
- Certificate in Understanding Domestic Abuse
- Certificate in Working With Children
- Foundation Certificate in Hypnotherapy
- Foundation Certificate in Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT)
- EMDR4Emotional Wellbeing Certificate
- Over 20 years experience working with Adults and Children
Continued Professional Development (CPD) in line with NCPS requirements-
- Overcoming perfectionism and self-sabotage
- Addiction, the brain and recovery
- Attachment Theory in Counselling
- Polyvagal Theory
- Working with Guilt
- Trauma and Shame
- Safeguarding
- Working with children
- Teaching Children Emotional Regulation
- Working with Loss and Bereavement
- Unlocking ADHD Motivation
- Transactional Analysis: Psychotherapy and Counselling
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
Fees
£50.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I offer a limited number of concessionary spaces for those who may find it difficult to access therapy due to financial circumstances. If you feel this may apply to you, please feel free to get in touch to discuss this.
Further information
As an integrative counsellor, I draw from a range of approaches including Humanistic, CBT, Psychodynamic and Transactional Analysis. This means our work is shaped around you as an individual, rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach.
For adults, this might involve gently exploring past experiences, making sense of patterns, and working through challenges such as anxiety, low mood, relationship difficulties or life transitions. We work collaboratively, at your pace, focusing on what feels most important, with the aim of building greater understanding, resilience and meaningful change.
For children and young people, I offer a warm, age-appropriate space where they can express themselves in a way that feels comfortable—whether through talking, creative play or other approaches suited to them. I support young people with managing big emotions, building confidence, developing emotional regulation, and making sense of difficulties at home or school. Where helpful, I also support parents and carers in understanding how best to support their child.
Alongside my professional training and clinical experience, I also bring lived understanding to my work. I have a particular awareness of the connection between trauma and neurodivergence—how trauma can shape the nervous system, identity and relationships, and how neurodivergence can influence how experiences are processed and expressed.
Above all, I aim to offer a compassionate, grounded space where you feel respected, understood and supported.
