Kate O'Leary

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she/her
BA (Hons) | MBACP | Person-Centred | ADHD-Friendly

About me

You’re holding it all together, but only just.

Maybe you've been carrying things alone for a while and masking how hard it’s been just to get through the day. 

You're wondering if you can ask ChatGPT to help untangle your brain.

You might feel like you're "too much" and yet still "not good enough".

Everyone’s got an opinion about what you should do, but you're not even sure if you know who you are anymore.

You're wondering if you're broken.

You’ve been thinking about going to therapy. Now you’re here, wondering if anyone will really get it.

You're not alone, and you don't have to do it all on your own 💚

I firmly believe that you are the only person who's the real expert on you. And I deeply believe in your ability to heal and recover. My aim will be to be alongside you, and support you, while you do.

I'll offer you an warm, authentic, occasionally sweary, space to talk and reflect, where we can make sense of things together.

I'll work with you to create the kind of relationship where you feel safe enough to be your true self, as you gradually untangle things.

I have no agenda, and you decide the pace that we go at. 

If you’re thinking about starting counselling, or coming back to it, I’d be glad to hear from you 

And just to add: 

I'd like to welcome you to bring all of you into this space, including the parts that have been shaped by culture, identity, class, race, gender, neurodivergence, trauma, or anything else that’s impacted how you move through the world. I pay close attention to the systems we're all living in, and how they mess with our sense of safety, worth, and belonging.

After spending a few years working in a Black-led community counselling service, and I'm very mindful of some of the ways injustice and inequality can impact mental health. I do my absolute best to try to create a space where none of that has to be left at the door.

Get in touch

You can book a free 20-min Zoom with me.

It's not a full counselling session, more of a relaxed chance to see whether we feel like a good fit for each other.

Sometimes people use it to:

  • Say hello and get a sense of how I work
  • Share a bit about what’s brought them here (but only if they’d like)
  • Ask any questions they may have about the process and what to expect

If that sounds helpful, feel free to get in touch

Practicalities

  • I work online with adults based anywhere in the UK
  • Sessions with me are held in English
  • I'm a member of the BACP and work within their Ethical Framework
  • I'm committed to ongoing learning, supervision, and reflective practice

Training, qualifications & experience

  • BA (Hons) in Person-Centred Counselling (Level 6) from The Metanoia Institute — a BACP-accredited course known for its depth and rigour
  • 5 years working as a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA®) Instructor with MHFA England — delivering training in schools, workplaces, and community settings
  • 3+ years working within a Black-led community counselling service, with a focus on anti-oppressive practice and the impact of race, power, and social context in therapy
  • 20+ years’ experience in corporate marketing, bringing insight into the emotional toll of work-related stress, burnout, and “holding it all together”

Member organisations

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

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

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
Accredited Register Scheme

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.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Areas of counselling I deal with

Other areas of counselling I deal with

I'm especially passionate about supporting people navigating anxiety, panic attacks, ADHD, perimenopause and menopause, as well as those exploring the emotional impact of DNA discoveries or genealogy and family history research.

Therapies offered

Photos & videos

Fees

£60.00 per session

Concessions offered for

  • Low income
  • Trainee counsellors
  • Unemployed

Additional information

Online sessions only.

Originally from London, I’m now based in Leeds. I offer counselling sessions online, so you can work with me from anywhere in the UK

Sessions are open-ended. So you don’t have to be ‘fixed’ in 6-8 sessions. Stay for as little or as long as you need to.

Right now, I have spaces for new clients on Mondays and Fridays during the daytime. I also currently have a space available on Wednesday evenings at 6pm.

Standard Fee (pay-as-you-go)
£60 per session (50 mins)

Reduced-Cost Spaces
£40 per session (50 mins)

I hold four lower-cost places to ensure my services are accessible. 

My reduced-cost slots are currently full (April 2026), but you can contact me to join the waiting list, and l'll let you know when a slot opens up.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Early morning
Morning
Early afternoon
Late afternoon
Evening

Further information

I'm especially passionate about supporting people navigating anxiety, panic attacks, ADHD, perimenopause and menopause, as well as those exploring the emotional impact of DNA discoveries or genealogy and family history ancestry research.

Burley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS4

Markyate, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3

Type of session

Online

Types of client

Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)
Organisations

Key details

DBS check

In England and Wales, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly known as CRB) carry out criminal records checks for individuals working with vulnerable groups, such as children. To find out more, visit gov.uk , or contact this professional directly

ADD/ADHD/AuDHD clients (diagnosed, waiting, wondering) get the following at no extra cost; - 20% longer sessions - Calendar + SMS reminders - Two free amnesty tokens

Online platforms

Zoom

Social