About me
I'm Ella, a psychotherapist specialising in therapy for neurodivergent adults. I'm also autistic myself, and care deeply about offering therapy for neurodivergent people, by a neurodivergent therapist.
✧ Experiences I support with:
Neurodivergence is a broad term, and doesn’t just mean autistic. Neurodiversity is about any ways of being, thinking or feeling which fall ‘outside’ what society says is ‘typical’. If you’ve lived your life feeling like you’re on the outside looking in, it’s understandable if you carry low self-esteem or the cumulative trauma of being misunderstood.
Whether you have a diagnosis of any kind, are self-identified, beginning to explore neurodiversity, or just totally unsure, you might feel like you're navigating a world that is overwhelming. Maybe you feel things deeply, experience social anxiety, or are exhausted from pushing yourself to deal with environments not designed with difference in mind.
You might have learned to shrink yourself so you're not 'too much' but still feel 'not enough', or been through mental health services before realising your struggles are a result of being neurodivergent in a neurotypical landscape.
If you’ve recently been through an autism assessment or ADHD assessment, you might be looking for some post-diagnosis support to help make sense of things. Or maybe you’ve found yourself in burnout, unable to push through the things you used to be able to tolerate.
It doesn’t matter to me the name given to your neurodivergence - autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, sensory processing disorder, personality disorder, highly sensitive person, empath - if the words here resonate, neuro-affirming therapy might be a good fit for you.
✧ How I work:
I feel strongly about making space for all of this - the way you experience the world is real! My approach to therapy is rooted in existential, person-centred and creative principles - without the therapy jargon, this means that we might think about things like:
- your sense of meaning & purpose
- the limits you're coming up against in life
- your hopes, fears & sense of connection
- what life is like for you specifically, rather than what we're told is 'normal'.
We may work to shift ideas that parts of you need correcting - maybe your distress is actually in proportion to how you feel, and maybe your divergence is part of being human. Wherever you're at, therapy is a collaborative process and can be built as we go.
Some people can also find the use of expressive arts in therapy helpful. Things like using colour, making images or writing creatively can give us an alternate language to explore our thoughts and feelings with, especially if words are hard to find.
We might work with your special interests or chosen creative outlet to support your growth and wellbeing. How big or small a role this plays in therapy is up to you, and no artistic skill is needed - just curiosity. It's all about your process, rather than the end product.
✧ About me:
I bring with me a background in psychology and hold 14 years of professional experience supporting children & adults with their mental health. I've worked in residential settings, secondary mental health services, and on helplines. I've facilitated therapeutic arts workshops for schools & charities, and provided direct creative support to care-experienced young people with a local organisation. I love to learn, and am currently completing a Master's research project.
You might also have to share therapy sessions with my cat, Kiko, who loves to squeak at me when she doesn't have my attention!
✧ Practicalities:
Therapy sessions are an hour long and are £50 per appointment. I work online, and offer a free video consultation to get to know each other more. It’s a chance to talk about what’s brought you here, get a feel for my approach, and ask any questions.
If this feels like the kind of therapy you’re seeking, please book an introductory call or send me an email to ella@etherscapes-studio.com ☺︎
Training, qualifications & experience
I hold the following qualifications and certifications:
- Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma, Counselling and Psychotherapy, Liverpool John Moores University
- BSc Psychology, University of York
- Foundations in Art Therapy, British Association of Art Therapists
- Clinical Concepts: Art, Spirit and Image, Centre for Applied Jungian Studies
- Trauma-informed Practitioner Training, Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership
- The Science of Autistic Burnout for Therapists and Coaches
- Suicide Awareness Prevention, Zero Suicide Alliance
- Autistic Clients: How Shame Shapes the Self
- Level 3 Advocating on Behalf of Children and Young People, NYAS
- Level 3 Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults, EduCare
- Level 3 Child Safeguarding, EduCare
- Autism, ADHD and Dyslexia Awareness, EduCare
- Adverse Childhood Experiences, Merseyside Youth Association
- Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism, NHS England
My professional development is always ongoing and I attend monthly trainings and workshops to ensure my practice stays informed, ethical and relevant.
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
Fees
£50.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Sessions are £50 per hour. I offer a limited number of concession slots too - those who can afford the full price make it possible for me to offer therapy at a reduced fee for those who can't. If finances are a barrier, please email me as I'm open to discussing what's affordable for you if I have a concession slot open.
When I work
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I work weekdays between 9am-6pm, with some early evening availability.
