About me
On paper, you’re capable and high-functioning, presenting a calm exterior to the world. But beneath the surface, you’re running on empty - quietly carrying anxiety, burn-out and the pressure to keep everything together.
You’ve become an expert at pushing things down, but that kind of coping can eventually become a full-time job. To everyone around you, you're managing well, while privately, you're carrying far more than anyone realises.
Do you find yourself overthinking, second-guessing, or stuck in the same patterns, wondering why life still feels so hard, no matter what you try?
Often, these struggles are connected to past trauma, difficult family dynamics, or relationship experiences that continue to shape how you feel today.
These patterns can show up in how you relate to yourself, your family, or romantic partners, leaving you people-pleasing until you’re exhausted, or understanding things logically, while still feeling emotionally stuck.
I support individuals and couples navigating anxiety, emotional overwhelm, trauma, painful relationship experiences and ADHD.
Many of my clients are professionals or students who have spent years people-pleasing, over achieving, or hiding parts of themselves to feel accepted - often rooted in childhood, where being ‘the good one’, or ‘the capable one’ was the safest role to play.
Over time, this can leave you unsure of who you really are, struggling with boundaries, or finding yourself in family, or romantic relationships that echo old, painful patterns. For some, a late ADHD diagnosis has added another layer to understanding a lifetime of overcompensating.
Together, we will work to understand what is happening beneath the surface, so that what feels confusing, overwhelming, or stuck can begin to make more sense.
How I work
I’m not a therapist who will just sit in silence and nod. I’m right here in the work with you, offering a warm, honest, and sometimes even light-hearted space to figure things out.
My approach looks at how your past shows up in your life today. We won’t just look at what is happening on the surface; we’ll gently unpack the older, hidden scripts that are quietly running the show behind the scenes.
You don’t need to have the right words, a perfect timeline, or even know where to start. We will figure it out together.
What to Expect in the Room
I provide a highly grounded, pressure-free space. Together, we’ll track how your mind and body handle stress - mapping the moments you feel completely overwhelmed, totally shut down, or trapped in cycles that feel impossible to shift.
Here, you can finally drop the heavy mask of having it all together.
Our goal isn't just to talk about your life, but to help you:
- Regain control over your nervous system so you can feel genuinely calm and grounded.
- Stop over-pacing and start responding to yourself and your relationships with clarity.
- Reconnect to who you actually are under all that pressure.
We will always move at a pace that feels safe for you, while steadying your steps toward a life that finally feels like your own.
Next steps
- Book a free 15-minute introductory call by clicking the link at the top of my profile.
- Email me at fiona@avdtherapy.co.uk
- Call 07553 340 853.
Locations:
Gerrards Cross: For those who need to physically step away from the noise, I offer sessions in a quiet sanctuary- a private, discrete space designed for reflection and healing.
Uxbridge Practice: A central space conveniently located for those living or working in Uxbridge or the surrounding areas.
Online Therapy: Flexible, high quality sessions via secure video link, allowing you to access support from the comfort of your own home or office.
Working with Couples
Alongside my individual work, I support couples who feel stuck in recurring conflict, emotional distance, or communication patterns that leave both people feeling unheard or disconnected. Together, we will work to understand what’s happening beneath the surface, navigate these cycles with more awareness, and create space for reconnection.
*Concessions are offered for counselling students. Please note that concessionary sessions are held online.*
Training, qualifications & experience
- CPCAB Level 2 Counselling
- CPCAB Dip Level 4 in Integrative Counselling
- Certificate in Relationship and Couples Counselling- Juliet Grayson
- Level 1 in Complex Trauma- Janina Fisher
- Integrating ‘Parts Work’ CPD
- Poly Vagal Informed Practitioner- Deb Dana
- IAN Attachment Course- module 1 and 2
- When Autism Meets Attachment in the Therapy Room- Optima CPD
- ADHD Aware- Counselling Tutor CPD
- Spider in the Glass Domestic Violence and Gender Based Violence (GBV) Training.
- Working with Shame- Carolyn Springs
- Extensive and ongoing experience working within a refuge setting for women with complex relational trauma.
- Place2Be: Specialist School-Based Training, including Safeguarding and Creative Therapeutic Interventions (Sand Tray, Art, and Solution-Focused Goal Setting).
- BSc (Hons) Psychology
- BACP Certificate of Proficiency
- Grief
- Addiction
- Domestic Violence
- Emotional abuse
- Relationship difficulties
- Trauma
- ADHD
- Depression
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
Photos & videos
Fees
£65.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Individual counselling: £65
Couples counselling: £110
When I work
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Further information
I understand that for many of my clients, particularly those in high-pressure or public-facing roles- privacy and discretion are not just preferences, but essentials. My practice is built on a foundation of absolute confidentiality, offering a refined, bespoke space where you can let go of the professional mask and focus entirely on your own wellbeing. My commitment is to move beyond "just talking" toward meaningful, lasting transformation. I work with a focus on depth and results, supporting you to achieve the clarity and self-awareness needed to break through long-standing patterns. Whether we are working on individual breakthroughs or relational healing, my goal is to support you in reclaiming a sense of balance and reach a place where you no longer feel you are simply "coping," but truly thriving.
Online, or face-to-face sessions are held in Uxbridge and near Gerrards Cross (Jordans), serving Hillingdon, Ruislip, South Buckinghamshire and South West Hertfordshire.
Integrative therapist: Specialising in Trauma, Anxiety and Relationship difficulties.
Specialist Focus: Supporting high-functioning individuals, focusing on masking, burnout and past trauma.
