Lainy Wills

Hi, I’m Lainy, and firstly, a very warm welcome.

If you’re reading this, I imagine you’re trying to find the right person to talk to. That can feel like quite a task in itself, so take your time. Finding someone you feel comfortable with really matters.

I’ve been a counsellor for many years and have supported hundreds of adults and young people through anxiety, depression, grief,trauma, abuse, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem and those times in life when you simply feel lost and don’t quite know what to do next.

I don’t believe you need someone to tell you how to live your life. You’re the expert on you. My job is to help you understand what’s happening, untangle some of the thoughts and feelings that may be keeping you stuck, and help you find a way forward that feels right for you.

Sometimes we need somewhere completely safe to say:

“This is how I really feel.”

No judgement. No worrying about upsetting somebody. No having to pretend you're okay.

Counselling can give you that space.

But I also believe counselling can be about much more than talking. I want you to leave therapy with things you can actually use.

Together, we can explore where some of your patterns have come from, but importantly, we can also look at what you can do differently now. I can teach you practical tools to help with negative thinking, anxiety, boundaries, communication, self-esteem and emotional resilience.

My aim isn't for you to need me forever. It's for you to gradually build your own emotional toolkit so that when life throws something difficult at you again, you feel better equipped to deal with it.

How I work
There is no such thing as one-size-fits-all counselling.

Some people want to understand the psychology and science behind what they're experiencing. Others prefer a more intuitive or spiritual approach. Some like mindfulness. Some absolutely don't!

That's okay.

We'll find what works for you.

I’m also a qualified mindfulness coach and, where appropriate, we can bring mindfulness into our work together.

I can recommend books, podcasts, TED Talks, videos, apps and other resources if you'd find them useful. If you'd rather just come to your session and leave the homework behind, that's absolutely fine too.

Your first session
Our first session is really about getting to know each other.

I’ll want to hear about what has brought you to counselling, what's happening in your life at the moment and, most importantly:

What would you like to be different?

We'll talk about confidentiality, what you want from counselling and any particular goals or priorities you have.

And we go at your pace.

You don't have to arrive knowing exactly what's wrong or where to begin. Sometimes “I just know I don't want to feel like this anymore” is more than enough of a starting point.

Ways we can work together
I currently offer:

Face-to-face counselling
Walk-and-talk sessions
Online sessions via Zoom
Telephone counselling
I also offer concessions for people who are unemployed or retired, so please ask me about this if it applies to you.

If you're wondering whether I'm the right counsellor for you, I offer a free 20 minute initial consultation by telephone, video call or walk-and-talk.

It's simply an opportunity to have a chat, ask me anything you'd like to know and get a feel for whether working together feels right.

And if it does, we'll take it from there.

Lainy

“Thanks to the tools Lainy has taught me, my self-esteem and confidence have improved. My relationships are so much more positive as I can communicate much more effectively with the people in my life. My mindset overall is so much happier and I feel miles away from the lost lady who contacted Lainy back in March.”
— Katie Lowe

What I can help with

Abuse, Addictions, Anger management, Anxiety, Bereavement, Cancer, Career coaching, Child related issues, Cultural issues, Depression, Development coaching, Disability, Health related issues, Identity issues, Life coaching, Loss, Menopause, Mood disorder, Personal Development, Phobias, Post-traumatic stress, Redundancy, Relationships, Self-esteem, Self-harm, Spirituality, Stress, Substance Dependency, Trauma, Women's issues, Work related issues

You will have access to The Soul Spa Whats App group which gives you regular personal development tips to keep you on track.

This saves you from wading through the mountain of resources. I've done the hard work and have picked out the best books, videos, and healing resources throughout the 25 years of working in this field.