About me
Feeling overwhelmed, constantly overthinking or never quite feeling "good enough"?
Perhaps you replay conversations in your head long after they've happened, worry about getting things wrong, or feel like you're holding everything together whilst quietly struggling underneath.
Maybe you've always felt different. You might have ADHD, be autistic, or be wondering whether neurodivergence could explain why life often feels harder than it seems to for everyone else. You may feel exhausted from masking, overwhelmed by your emotions or stuck in patterns that no longer make sense.
If you're a parent, you may be watching your child struggle with anxiety, friendships, school or overwhelming emotions and wondering how best to help them.
Whether I'm working with an adult, a child or a family, I believe there is always a reason behind how we think, feel and behave. Rather than asking, "What's wrong with you?", I believe the more helpful questions are "What has happened to you?" and "What is your nervous system trying to protect you from?"
When we begin to understand the reasons behind our thoughts, emotions and behaviours, they often become less frightening. That understanding can reduce shame, increase self-compassion and create lasting change.
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, trauma-informed and neuroaffirming space where you can feel safe enough to be yourself and begin making sense of what you're experiencing.
I have particular experience supporting:
Anxiety and overthinking
ADHD, autism and neurodivergence
Emotional regulation difficulties
Trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
Low self-esteem and self-confidence
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 you as an individual. I don't believe people are broken or need fixing. Instead, I help people understand the patterns that have developed throughout their lives, why those patterns made sense at the time, and how they may be affecting them today.
Together we might explore:
What is happening in your mind and body.
Why certain situations feel so overwhelming.
How past experiences may still be influencing the present.
Ways to help your nervous system feel calmer and safer.
Healthier ways of responding to difficult thoughts and emotions.
How to build confidence, resilience and a kinder relationship with yourself.
I draw from a range of approaches, including CBT, mindfulness, psychoeducation and creative ways of working, adapting every session to suit the person sitting in front of me. This flexible approach is particularly valuable for neurodivergent clients, where understanding and adapting to individual needs can make all the difference.
Working With Children, Young People & Parents
I provide a safe, consistent and supportive space where children and young people can express themselves in ways that feel comfortable to them, whether that's through talking, creativity, play, psychoeducation or practical emotional regulation work.
Alongside my private practice, I also work therapeutically across several primary schools. This gives me a strong understanding of the challenges children, young people and families face, including:
School anxiety and emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA)
ADHD, autism and neurodivergence within education
Emotional dysregulation
Masking
Friendship difficulties
Low self-esteem
The social and academic pressures children and teenagers experience every day
Working closely with schools, SENCOs and families also allows me to support communication between home and school where appropriate, helping everyone develop a shared understanding of what sits beneath a child's behaviour.
I also recognise that supporting a struggling child can feel overwhelming. Many parents tell me they feel as though they're walking on eggshells, trying everything they can but still wondering if they're getting it wrong. My role isn't only to support your child; it's also to help parents make sense of what's happening so home can begin to feel calmer and everyone feels more understood.
A Warm, Supportive Space
Many of the people I work with are thoughtful, caring and highly self-aware, yet often incredibly hard on themselves. They spend so much energy looking after everyone else that they rarely extend the same compassion to themselves.
Therapy isn't about changing who you are. It's about understanding yourself with curiosity rather than criticism, building on your strengths and helping life feel more manageable.
Starting counselling can feel like a big step, but you don't need to have everything figured out before reaching out.
I offer a free 30-minute phone call, giving us the opportunity to talk things through, answer any questions you may have 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 welcoming 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.
