Kate McKenna

Have you stopped doing the things you used to enjoy? Do you spend more time looking after others than yourself? Are you feeling resentful and or underappreciated?

How I Can Help

Whether you are caring for others, battling anxiety, depression, low self-esteem or have burned out, I can support you to develop the skills and awareness to live a life that is fulfilling and connected.

Life really is like a roller coaster, sometimes its smooth and steady and other times its bumpy and everything gets turned upside down. I can support you to improve and maintain your mental health and wellbeing even when the world is metaphorically upside-down.

How I work

As an Integrative-Relational counsellor, I don’t believe in one size fits all therapy. We will work together to adapt therapy around who you are, the life you live and the way you want to be living it. I believe you are the expert in your life, together we’ll shine a light on the skills you already have, where you have control to make changes and equip you with the tools to make them.

Specialism

I have several years experience working with parents of neurodivergent children and children with additional needs. Alongside my private practice I am the Counselling Lead for Express CIC a service that supports people on the Autistic people and their families.

Many parents I have worked with question if they have caused their child's difficulties or are themselves neurodivergent. Parenting children that don't fit mainstream expectations can leave you feeling isolated, judged, misunderstood and anxious about the future.

It can become an all-consuming task fighting the ongoing battles for your child’s care. Many parents lose themselves and feel guilty, resentful, isolated, anxious for themselves, their family and their child(ren).

Whether you are on the first step towards diagnosis or a long way into your parenting journey, I can support you to find the calm in the storm. We'll work together to help you navigate the battles you face with confidence and clarity and support you to reconnect with yourself and the things that bring you joy.

Special Interest

I have a special interest in working with parental mental health and wellbeing, particularly pre/post pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding. As a parent myself I know how isolating and challenging it can be to move into this new stage, whether its your first baby or not.

Becoming a parent can leave you questioning your identity and your relationships. It can be difficult to find time to do the things that fulfil you and perhaps those things have changed just like you have. I will support you to reconnect with who you are in this new phase of your life and find your confidence again. We'll identify areas of support you may not know are there and fill the gaps in support, to provide you with the resilience to be the parent you want to be.

With so many conflicting opinions about the "right way" to parent, it can be overwhelming and confusing about the best way to meet even the most basic of your baby or child’s needs. Well-meaning opinions and advice from friends, family even strangers can leave you feeling guilty and uncertain about whether you’re doing the right thing for your little one. I can support you to build the confidence in your decisions as a parent and support you to navigate those tricky conversations with well-meaning others. 

Whether you have been diagnosed with a pre/postnatal mental health difficulty or are looking to improve yours and your family's wellbeing, we will collaborate to help you to feel calm, cared for and confident to parent the way that is right for you. 

Online Counselling - £70 per 50 minute sessions, we will agree a time to meet each week for as long as you need. 

Email Counselling - £70 per email exchange. This includes two emails the one you send and my reply, we each have a 500 word limit (up to 550 words if needed).