Julie Lisle

Compassionate Counselling for Anxiety, Depression and Trauma

I offer warm, down-to-earth counselling for adults and teenagers, with specialist support for survivors of rape, sexual abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence and narcissistic relationships. If you're struggling with the past, feeling overwhelmed or finding it difficult to trust yourself or others, you don't have to face it alone.

You may have spent years keeping things to yourself, putting on a brave face, or trying to get on with life while carrying things that have been incredibly difficult to make sense of. Perhaps you struggle with guilt or shame, find it hard to trust people, or feel that what happened has affected how you see yourself.

If any of this feels familiar, I'd like you to know that you don't have to work through it alone.

I specialise in supporting survivors of rape, sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse, narcissistic relationships and domestic violence. I understand that the impact of these experiences can stay with us long after the events themselves, affecting our confidence, relationships, sense of safety and belief in our own worth.

You might find yourself questioning your own actions, blaming yourself for what happened, or carrying feelings that were never yours to carry. You may have become so used to putting other people first that you've lost sight of your own needs.

Whatever your experiences, you deserve a space where you can be heard, understood and supported without judgement.

A space where you can be yourself
My approach is warm, friendly and down to earth. I want counselling to feel like a genuine conversation with someone you can gradually learn to trust, rather than feeling that you're being analysed or expected to say all the right things.

You don't need to have the right words, know where to begin or explain everything you’ve been through. My approach is warm friendly and down to earth. We'll take things at your pace, creating a space where you can feel heard, understood and accepted, without judgement or pressure.

I take the experiences you've been through seriously, but I also believe there is room for gentle humour when it feels appropriate. Life can be incredibly difficult, and sometimes being able to laugh, even for a moment, can bring a little lightness and remind us that there is more to us than the things we've endured.

Above all, I want you to feel comfortable enough to be yourself. There is no pressure to revisit painful experiences before you're ready, and no expectation that you should be coping better than you are.

How counselling can help
Together, we can begin to explore what you've been through and how it may be affecting you today. We can gently work through feelings of guilt, shame and self-blame, make sense of patterns that have developed as a way of coping, and explore what you need to feel more secure in yourself and your relationships.

Our work may help you develop a kinder relationship with yourself, strengthen your sense of self-worth, understand your boundaries and begin to trust your own feelings and decisions.

You don't have to have everything figured out before you start. We will focus on what matters to you, what feels manageable and what you would like to be different in your life.

Taking the first step
Reaching out for counselling can feel like a big step, particularly if you've spent a long time keeping things to yourself or have found it difficult to trust others.

You might feel nervous about getting in touch, unsure what to say, or uncertain whether counselling is right for you. That's okay. You don't need to explain everything in an initial enquiry or make any decisions before you're ready.

You have already carried so much. Counselling can be a place where you begin to put some of that down, feel less alone with what you've experienced, and start to reconnect with yourself.

If my approach feels right for you, you're welcome to get in touch. We can take things one step at a time.

Rape

Childhood Sexual Abuse