Laura Steele

Are things in your life feeling overwhelming? Perhaps you have a niggling sense of unease that you can’t ignore. Maybe you are feeling the weight of an old wound, or looking to find your way through a fresh one. 

Whatever you are feeling, you are not alone. And whatever brings you to therapy, you are welcome and deserving of the space to talk.

I'm Laura, a BACP registered person-centred therapist with experience helping my clients to find meaningful change through better understanding their way of being in the world. 

How I work

At the core of my practice, I believe you are the expert in your life and I will work with you to take the approach to person-centred therapy that is most helpful for you. 

Person-centred therapy offers a chance to see ourselves, how we think, what we feel, our relationships with others and how we communicate, with more clarity. It is an invitation to become more aware of the present moment, to notice the habitual parts of our experience and to be curious about feelings, thoughts, dreams, imagery, metaphors and movement. By listening carefully to what you say, I can help you find the words to communicate what you are experiencing.

Influencing my thinking is the belief that the culture around us shapes our experience of the world. My practice is LGBTQIA+ affirmative, feminist and queer, and I hold an awareness of oppressive social systems like race, class, gender, sexuality and ability. I take a heart-centred, cultural and intersectional approach to therapy. 

I am mindful of how our bodies shape our experience of the world and how trauma can be stored in the body. This holistic approach of considering both the body and the mind can be helpful for those whose bodies are a place of anxiety (for those experiencing physical illness, low self-confidence, body dysmorphia… etc.). The body may be the vessel of suffering, but it is also our greatest ally in healing from it. 

In my approach, I often draw on ideas from Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy to understand the different parts of an experience, existential philosophy, and Jungian ideas, such as archetypes and how we experience our dreams, also shape my work. 

By bringing light to what causes us pain, with curiosity, kindness and compassion, we can connect to the natural healing capacity within us all. 

Reaching out can be the hardest part…

I welcome anyone looking for short or long-term counselling. Whether you would like to bring up a specific issue or situation, are looking to find personal growth, or if things in your life are just not feeling quite right. 

Depression, loneliness, feeling sad, anxiety, stress, grief, bereavement, panic attacks, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, spirituality, gender or sexual identity, including LGBTQ+ experiences, are just a few of the reasons that you might be seeking psychotherapy. 

Finding a therapist whom you feel comfortable with is important. If you would like to know more about counselling sessions, how I work, or to see if I can help, reach out to organise a free introductory call.