About me
Hi there! My name is Emma and I am so genuinely pleased that you found my profile! I am a BABCP accredited therapist with over a decades experience supporting people experiencing various difficulties with their mental health (including 9 years working in the NHS). Some of the approaches I am trained in include:
- Trauma-Focused Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Dialectical Behavioural Therapy Informed Approaches
- Life Coaching (Motivational Interviewing)
I now own a private therapy practice based in Leeds however since I offer sessions remotely via videocall I am able to provide therapy to anyone living in the UK.
My approach to therapy reflects my personality... with people describing our sessions as refreshingly informal and supportive to self-discovery. I am a naturally curious and compassionate person with a special interest in the psychology of people. My working style is firmly grounded in the belief that we are a team combining my skills and training with your expert knowledge in yourself - We work towards gaining a shared understanding of your difficulties together, think about which strategies and approaches have the best chance of working for you, and then at your own pace we'll introduce some changes aiming to move you closer to your goals.
If you're curious then you can read testimonials from my previous clients on my website... therapybyemma.co.uk
I am a recognised therapist with the following providers and insurance companies... AXA, Aviva, The Rehab Network, WPA. If you don't have insurance you may also wish to get in touch to discuss the possibility of self-funding. As I am an accredited member of the British Association for Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapy (BABCP) rest assured that regardless of how you access 'Therapy By Emma' the quality of therapy you receive will be in-keeping with the Professional Standards Authority.
Training, qualifications & experience
My Qualifications...
- Bachelor Of Science (Hons) in Psychology
- Postgraduate Certificate in Low Intensity Psychological Interventions
- Postgraduate Diploma in High Intensity Psychological Interventions
Presentations and Training Delivered...
- Feel Before You Think: The Importance Of Emotions In Rationalising Difficult Thoughts (June 2024)
- The Various Techniques To Support Neurodivergent Clients (August 2024)
- The Psychology of Paranormal Beliefs (October 2024)
- How Do Differences In Memory Within The Autistic Community Change PTSD Presentation and Treatment? (March 2025)
My Publications...
- Reay, J., Wetherell, M. A., Morton, E., Lillis, J., & Badmaev, V. (2020). Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin®) ameliorates experimentally induced anxiety in healthy volunteers. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 35(6), 1-7.
- Morton, E. (2024, July). Treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder With Co-Morbid ADHD: A Case Study. [Poster Presentation]. BABCP 52nd Annual Conference, Manchester.
- Morton, E. (2025, May). Autism and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Curious thoughts on emotion-based re-experiencing. CBT Today (Vol. 53, No. 2, pp. 30-31). Manchester: British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies.
My Experience...
2012: I began my career volunteering as an ‘Active Listener’ for a national emotional support service, working with people struggling with issues such as hopelessness and panic attacks. At the same time, I had a role as a ‘Research Assistant’, researching a new supplement that could support people struggling with anxious feelings. Our research has since been published and if you are interested you can read it here – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32761980/
2013 to 2017: I had a couple of jobs as a ‘Mental Health Support Worker’ wherein I supported people to navigate various stressful life situations such as their housing situation and financial issues. I met people from all walks of life including refugees, asylum seekers, single parents, students, older adults, and people with chronic health conditions (including invisible conditions). On average, I was a part of their life for about a year as we faced down various challenges together to support their mental health and develop their independent living skills. It’s a time in my life that I treasure and I was well supported to attend various training sessions such as ‘Motivational Interviewing’, ‘An Introduction To Cognitive Analytic Therapy’, ‘An Introduction To Cognitive Behavioural Therapy’, and ‘Mental Health First Aid’.
2017 to 2022: This is where the official ‘Cognitive Behavioural Therapy’ (CBT) part of my career started. Within the NHS, I trained and received my certificate in ‘Low Intensity CBT-Based Interventions’, and I spent my time supporting people to overcome mild to moderate common mental health conditions including depression, generalised anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, phobias, panic disorder, binge eating, sleep problems, and stress. I would also deliver weekly therapy groups going through strategies to support stress management. Whilst conducting treatment with my patients, I also took on a role as the Neurodiversity Champion for the service, researching and training fellow staff members in how to appropriately adapt their sessions for people presenting with Autism Spectrum Condition and/or ADD/ADHD. These were the years that affirmed for me that this is what I want to do – Talking through people’s issues, watching them use techniques and recover from issues that sometimes spanned back more than 30 years has been such as privilege. It has really brought home for me the versatility of the CBT approach when we work together to make it work for you.
2022 to now: I had an opportunity in 2022 to train in my NHS placement toward a Post Graduate Diploma in High Intensity Psychological Interventions. This is where I can officially call myself a ‘Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist’. Therapists trained to this level grow their skills to support all of the people that Low Intensity Practitioners can, though these clients may be experiencing more severe forms of depression and anxiety conditions. I also received training to work with other conditions such as Social Phobias, Health Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Emetophobia (Fear Of Vomit), and Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Upon completing my training, I decided to set up my private practice ‘Therapy by Emma’, where I can take all of my skills from the past few years and use them to support people along their mental health journey! And that’s where you can find me today!
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 BABCP is the lead organisation for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in the UK. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in the practice, theory or development of CBT. BABCP also provides accreditation for CBT therapists. BABCP accredited members adhere to the Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics in the Practice of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, and are willing to be scrutinised in this adherence as required.
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
Photos & videos
Fees
£90.00 per session
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
Free 15-minute introductory call... We can have a chat to discuss your needs and expectations for therapy so that you feel confident before we start working together. Email me to book this in!
Never used MS Teams before and worried that you won't be able to access your sessions? Book in a free, no obligation 'technology introduction' call... Research shows that videocalls can be a wonderfully effective format for therapy but not everyone feels confident that this is the right approach for them. During a 'technology introduction' call, I call you on your phone and guide you step-by-step through the process of signing on for a videocall session so that you know how to access your session each week. If we do run into technical issues or you find that you don't like this communication format then there is no obligation to continue forward.
When I work
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early morning | |||||||
| Morning | |||||||
| Early afternoon | |||||||
| Late afternoon | |||||||
| Evening |
Further information
LGBTQIA+
I have experience working with people from our LGBTQIA+ community on issues relating specifically to sexual orientation and gender identity. Examples of this include (but are not limited to) deeply ingrained self-esteem issues from negative childhood messaging, processing homophobia-related trauma, and channelling communication skills to assert one's needs within the polycule.
I take pride in using a gender-affirming care approach, not only focusing on ways to lessen gender dysphoria, but finding ways to access trans joy and gender euphoria, which as a gender-fluid, non-binary person is a personal value of mine.
I understand that even where issues do not relate directly to sexuality and gender, it can feel wonderful to have our identity wholly acknowledged and accepted, and I aspire to create this atmosphere of trust and learning in all of my therapy sessions.
Neurodivergence
It is always lovely to work with our neurodivergent community, from people who self-identify, to pre-diagnosed, to diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and AuDHD.
As a late-diagnosed Autistic person myself, I adopt a Neurodivergent Affirming approach and although everyone’s experience in life is different I do have a pre-existing dialogue of certain community-specific concepts such as shutdown versus meltdown, alexithymia, rejection sensitive dysphoria, dysregulation, and the sensory diet. My previous neurodivergent clients have described a sense of relief in finding a therapist that seems to 'speak the same language of neurodivergence' and have therapy that is appropriately adapted to their specific needs.
Trauma, OCD, and Much More...
Having spent more than a decade working in the mental health field, I have a breadth of knowledge and experience working with mild, moderate and severe mental health conditions, including but not limited to...
- Stress and Burnout
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Depression (including low self-esteem)
- Generalised Anxiety
- Panic Disorder
- Social Anxiety
- Phobia
Contrary to popular belief, you don't need a diagnosis to refer in for therapy. Many people I see are not sure what specific issues they are experiencing when they first refer in to therapy, and this is perfectly fine. Together we explore and work this out, and people are often relieved by level of understanding we achieve together, usually within the first session or two!
