Lisa Openshaw

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MBACP BA(Hons) & Clinical Supervisor

About me

My work is grounded in a deep understanding of how early experiences, relationships, and the nervous system shape the way we think, feel, and respond to the world. I support individuals who may feel overwhelmed, emotionally dysregulated, stuck in patterns they don’t fully understand, or struggling within relationships, family life, or education.

I offer a calm, contained, and highly attuned therapeutic space, where you or your child can begin to feel safe enough to explore, process, and make sense of your experiences.

For Adults
Therapy offers the opportunity to understand yourself on a deeper level.

You may be navigating anxiety, stress, relationship difficulties, or the lasting impact of earlier life experiences. Often, people come to therapy feeling stuck repeating patterns, feeling overwhelmed, or disconnected from themselves.

My approach goes beyond surface-level coping strategies. Together, we explore the underlying drivers of your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, supporting you to develop greater self-awareness, emotional regulation, and more secure ways of relating to yourself and others.

This is a collaborative and thoughtful process, focused on creating meaningful, sustainable change.

For Children & Young People
I provide specialist support for children and young people who may be struggling emotionally, behaviourally, or within school environments.

This includes children who experience anxiety, dysregulation, behavioural challenges, or difficulties linked to trauma, attachment, or neurodivergence.

My work prioritises emotional safety and connection. Sessions are adapted to the individual child, using developmentally appropriate and creative approaches to support expression, regulation, and processing.

I also work closely with parents and carers, offering insight and guidance to strengthen understanding, reduce stress, and support your child more effectively beyond the therapy space.

Additional Experience
Alongside clinical practice, I have extensive experience working within schools, residential settings, and multi-agency teams. I support with school-based difficulties, emotional regulation, and EHCP-informed work, bringing a holistic understanding of each child’s wider environment. 

My aim is to offer a space that feels both safe and professionally held where you or your child can feel truly understood, and where meaningful, lasting change can begin.

Training, qualifications & experience

My therapeutic journey began working with survivors of domestic abuse, which developed into a specialist focus on trauma and attachment. This continues to underpin my practice, alongside a strong commitment to supporting both adults and children who have experienced early adversity, relational trauma, or emotional dysregulation.

I am an integrative therapist, drawing from a range of evidence-based approaches including Person-Centred Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Therapy, and somatic-based trauma work. This enables me to tailor therapy to each individual, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

My work is deeply rooted in attachment and relational understanding. I have extensive experience supporting families to repair and strengthen relationships, helping to create safety, stability, and connection. This includes working with attachment disruption, family conflict, and supporting parents to better understand and respond to their child’s emotional needs.

Alongside this, I have significant experience supporting individuals affected by domestic abuse, early childhood trauma, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, self-harm, and relational difficulties. I also work with young people who experience challenges with school attendance, overwhelm, and anxiety.

My additional training in hypnotherapy and somatic trauma approaches allows me to work beyond cognitive understanding, supporting deeper processing, regulation, and long-term change where needed.

I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and work in accordance with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy Ethical Framework. I am also a member of the European Society for Trauma and Dissociation, reflecting my continued commitment to specialist trauma-informed practice.

Qualifications & Professional Training
BA (Hons) Counselling
Foundation Degree (FdA) Counselling (Levels 4 & 5)
Level 7 Diploma in Hypnotherapy & Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Level 4 Play Therapy
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) Training
Family Therapy Training
Inner Child Therapy
Attachment & Trauma Training
Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) Level 1
Somatic Trauma Healing Training
ADHD Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP)
Clinical Supervisor Qualification

Domestic Abuse Therapy

FASD/ASD Trained 

Dissociation Training also a member of ESTD (European Society, for Trauma and Dissociation).

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

Therapies offered

Fees

£40.00 - £120.00

Concessions offered for

  • Low income
  • OAPs
  • Students
  • Trainee counsellors

Health Insurance/EAP

  • Aviva
  • Axa Health
  • BUPA
  • Health Assured
  • Saga

Additional information

Reduced prices for block bookings.

When I work

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

For consultation calls, please book after 5pm. 

Greenbank, Waldon Street, Hartlepool, Durham, TS24 7QS

88 Church Road, Stockton-On-Tees, Durham, TS18 1TW

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Children (0-12)
Young people (13-17)
Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)
Couples
Families
Groups
Organisations
Employee Assistance Programme

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

Online platforms

Whatsapp
Zoom
Microsoft Teams
Google Meet

Social