Kathryn Slattery

Perhaps you've reached a point where things feel difficult to manage on your own. You might be feeling overwhelmed, anxious, disconnected or simply exhausted from trying to keep everything together.

I'm Kat, a trauma-informed, neuro-affirmative counsellor in Cardiff. I work particularly with adults who have experienced trauma, grief, anxiety, burnout, neurodivergence or questions around identity and relationships.

My aim is to create a space where you don't have to perform, mask or have everything figured out before you arrive.

I offer counselling in Cardiff, with sessions available in person, online across the UK, by telephone, and outdoors for those who feel more comfortable connecting while walking or being in nature.

A space to be yourself

Many of the people I work with come to therapy feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or disconnected — often carrying experiences of trauma, grief, anxiety, or long-standing emotional pain.

You may be navigating trauma, loss, anxiety, burnout, relationship difficulties, identity questions, or the impact of growing up feeling misunderstood. You might also be questioning things you've always believed about yourself following an autism or ADHD diagnosis later in life.

Whatever brings you to counselling, you don't need to arrive with the right words or know exactly where to begin.

My aim is to offer a calm, compassionate and non-judgemental space where you can explore what's happening for you without having to explain or justify who you are.

Neuro-affirmative and LGBTQIA+ affirmative counselling

I work respectfully with autistic, ADHD, and otherwise neurodivergent adults, adapting sessions to suit your communication style, sensory needs and energy levels.

I do not view neurodivergence, gender identity or sexual orientation as something to be "fixed". Instead, we can explore what it means to be yourself in a world that isn't always built with you in mind.

This might include exploring masking, burnout, identity, relationships, self-esteem, feeling different or misunderstood, or the impact of trying to meet expectations that don't fit who you are.

If you've received an autism or ADHD diagnosis as an adult, we can also explore what this new understanding might mean for your sense of identity and the experiences you've had throughout your life.

Trauma-informed counselling

As a trauma-informed counsellor, I focus on safety, choice, and collaboration. 

Trauma can affect how you feel in your body, your emotions, your relationships and your sense of self. We move at a pace that feels manageable for you, with you always in control of what we explore.

You don't have to tell me everything straight away, and you don't need to have your experiences neatly understood before starting therapy. We can begin wherever feels most comfortable.

Film Therapy, "Geek" Therapy and storytelling

Therapy doesn't always have to mean sitting opposite someone and talking about your feelings. For some people, films, characters and stories provide a safer way into difficult conversations. I offer trauma-informed film therapy, using films, scenes or characters as starting points to explore emotions, relationships, identity and experiences that can sometimes be difficult to put into words.

As a former Film Studies teacher, this is an element I find can be really surprisingly rewarding and comforting. 

Film therapy is optional and can be incorporated into our work when it feels helpful for you. Sometimes finding a character or story that resonates can make it easier to talk about something that feels difficult to approach directly.

If you're someone who finds meaning, comfort or connection through films, TV, books, comics, games, fantasy, science fiction or other fandoms, we can bring those interests into our work together.

I also offer "Geek" Therapy, using the stories, characters, worlds and interests that matter to you as potential ways of exploring emotions, identity, relationships and personal experiences.

For some people, talking about a fictional character can make it easier to talk about themselves. A story, character or fandom can provide a shared language for something that feels difficult to put into words.

This might involve exploring a favourite film or TV character, a particular storyline, a video game, comic, book, fictional world, or something else that has personal meaning for you.

You don't need to consider yourself a "geek" for this approach to be available to you. It's simply about making use of the things that already matter to you, when that feels helpful.

Walk-and-talk and outdoor counselling

If sitting face-to-face in a therapy room doesn't feel right for you, we can also explore working outdoors.

Walk-and-talk counselling offers the opportunity to connect while walking or spending time in nature. For some people, being outside can make conversation feel less intense, reduce the pressure of eye contact, and provide more space to think and breathe.

The way we work together can be adapted to what feels most accessible and supportive for you.

I have particular experience supporting:

• Anxiety (including chronic worry, panic, and overwhelm)
• Grief and loss (bereavement, ambiguous loss, identity loss, complicated grief)
  Trauma and complex trauma, PTSD, C-PTSD
• Neurodivergent adults, including autistic and ADHD clients
• LGBTQIA+ and identity exploration
• Depression and low mood
• Stress and burn-out
• Emotional overwhelm

How we can work together

Sessions can take place face-to-face in Cardiff, online anywhere in the UK, by telephone, or outdoors, depending on what feels most accessible and supportive for you.

We can talk about what might work best for you when we first speak. There isn't one "right" way to have therapy, and I'm happy to consider what will make counselling feel most accessible and comfortable for you.

Starting counselling can feel like a big step, especially if past experiences haven’t felt supportive. My aim is to provide a warm, non-judgemental relationship where you feel heard, respected, and supported to make sense of your experiences in your own way.

Not sure whether I'm the right counsellor for you?
You don't need to know before getting in touch.

I offer a free 10-minute phone or Zoom consultation where you can tell me a little about what you're looking for, ask any questions, and get a sense of whether we'd work well together.

There's no obligation to book a counselling session.

If you're looking for a Cardiff counsellor who is trauma-informed, neuro-affirmative and LGBTQIA+ affirmative, you're very welcome to get in touch.

You can contact me by email, text or phone and we can arrange a suitable time to talk.

I also offer trauma-informed film therapy which is an opportunity to explore your feelings and experiences through film offering reflective discussion, emotional processing and new perspectives. 

Please let me know if this is something you wish  for me to incorporate in sessions. 

Walk and Talk/Outdoor Counselling is what it says on the tin - we meet outside and walk and talk. In these sessions, you set the pace of the walk and have the opportunity to let the outside in. This can provide an alternative to looking at a screen, or speaking into the phone, offering a change of scenery and allowing nature be a part of the sessions. 

Individual Sessions cost £55 for a 50 minute session.

The first session will be an assessment session which is £60.00 and is an hour long in duration. 

Face-to-face sessions: Wednesdays and Thursdays - (9:30am - 5:15pm)
Online/telephone sessions: Mondays and Tuesdays - (9:30am - 7pm)

I offer trauma-informed film therapy, using films, scenes or characters as starting points to explore emotions, relationships, identity and experiences that can sometimes be difficult to put into words.

Film therapy is optional and can be incorporated into our work when it feels helpful for you.

If you're someone who finds meaning, comfort or connection through films, TV, books, comics, games, fantasy, science fiction or other fandoms, we can bring those interests into our work together.