Laura McGuinness

About me

I am a UKCP registered psychotherapist & sandplay therapist, with experience of working within NHS primary care, private practice and the charity sector. I offer individual therapy for a wide variety of issues. I work from my therapy office just outside the city centre.

As an integrative therapist I combine a number of therapeutic modalities to tailor therapy to your needs. I hope to provide you with skills and techniques that will help you to deal with the challenges that life can throw. I work relationally and believe that what goes on between us in the room can be therapeutic in itself. In our work I will offer you the opportunity to be safe, understood and heard while we work with your story.

I value you at the heart of our work, and believe that everyone has the capacity to change and grow. We can all get lost along the way at times, and therapy can provide the support needed to develop self-awareness, modify unhelpful patterns, and make positive changes to your life.

Some people enter therapy knowing what they need to work through, others don’t. You may just have a feeling that something is not quite right. Regardless of what leads you to therapy I will meet you with warmth, empathy, and a genuine interest in whatever you bring.

Deciding on a therapist can be overwhelming and arriving at a first session can be anxiety provoking. Trust that you will be welcomed in a warm sensitive and open way, without judgement or preconceptions, and with an understanding of the thoughts and feelings that may currently be making life difficult for you. If you are nervous and feel like you would benefit from an informal phone call or email before we meet to discuss my ways of working or to get to know me, please get in touch and this can be arranged.

I offer both short and long-term work with a wide range of issues, some of the most common include:

Anger Management
Anxiety
Abuse
Bereavement
Grief/Loss
PTSD
Depression
Work Stress
Study Stress
Trauma (Recent and/or Historic)
Relationship Issues
Family Difficulties
Sexuality Issues
Confidence/Self-Esteem
Panic

My specific interests are trauma, anxiety, ADHD and Neurodiversity .

Feel free to contact me for availability or further information

~ Laura

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have
known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss,
and have found their way out of those depths.
~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Training, qualifications & experience

I am a UKCP registered psychotherapist and a BACP registered counsellor.

All of my counselling and psychotherapy qualifications were attained at Northern Guild of Psychotherapy and Counselling.

Experience:

In House Counsellor, NHS Primary Care (2011-2015) - Successfully worked with a wide range of issues and clients, both short and long term.
Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, Turning Point (2014-2015) - Telephone counselling with those in long-term unemployment, where physical and mental health issues created barriers to work.
Therapist, WHiST (2015-2016) - Long Term therapy in women only service. Working with women with a history of domestic and sexual abuse, suicidal ideation, and childhood trauma, amongst other issues.
Associate Intern, Northern Guild of Psychotherapy & Counselling (2015-2016) - Working in Private Practice with a number of issues including depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, low self-esteem and work stress.
Psychotherapist, Private Practice (2016 onwards)
Group therapist, addiction services (2019 -2020)

Qualifications:

Diploma in Integrative Sandplay (2021 onwards)

Certificate in Integrative Sandplay (2020-2021)

Certificate in Jungian and Post-Jungian Clinical Concepts (2019)

MSc Psychotherapy (2017)

Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy (2017)

Post-Graduate Diploma in Psychotherapy (2015)

Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (2014)

Certificate in Transactional Analysis (2011)

BA(Hons)

Sandy Murray Memorial Award 2016 (Psychologists Protection Society)