About me
Hi, I’m Rachael, reaching out for support can feel like a big step, finding the right therapy and therapist for you is important and can feel overwhelming with all the choice available. It takes strength to begin exploring your options, just by being here, you’re already doing something positive for yourself.
I can offer you a calm, empathetic, supportive, accepting and confidential space for you to be able to talk openly and be heard without judgement. My work is rooted in a person‑centred approach, which means our sessions are guided by you, your experiences, at your pace, and what feels important to you to explore. I believe deeply in the power of empathy, genuine connection, and creating a safe, trusting relationship where you can be fully yourself. I am able to offer a trauma informed, Neurodiverse affirming therapy and I am a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ issues.
Whether you’re navigating complex mental health disorders, living with the impact of trauma, or dealing with grief, depression, anxiety, life transitions, issues such as menopause, or a general sense of overwhelm, you don’t have to face any of it alone. I’m here to walk alongside you, helping you make sense of what you’re feeling and supporting you as you reconnect with your own strength, resilience, and direction.
To make counselling as accessible and comfortable as possible, I offer online sessions that are accessible from anywhere, in‑person sessions at small private room in the centre of York that has close public transport links and parking, and walk and talk therapy at a selection of locations around the York area for those who prefer a more natural, movement‑based space to reflect. You don’t need to settle on just one session type if you prefer I can offer a mix of these session types to suit you, such as a combination of indoor and outdoor therapy.
I can offer short or long term therapy to fit your needs
You deserve support that feels safe, respectful, and centred on your needs. If you’re ready to talk, or you are curious about what counselling might look like with me, I’m here when you feel ready to take that next step, just reach out to book a free 30 minute chat.
Trainee Counsellors
I am passionate about supporting trainee counsellors on their journey to qualification and am a mentor for trainee counsellors at the charity I volunteer for. I firmly believe in the importance of exploring yourself and knowing what is yours before you enter the counselling room as a counsellor.
The training journey you are currently undertaking to become a counsellor is intensive and incredibly hard and the 20 mandatory hours of personal therapy that are required to qualify are vitally important to becoming an ethical and authentic counsellor, not just a box to be ticked. When we start to uncover the unknown parts of ourselves and deeply explore our sense of self whilst also dealing with the strain of the academic work it can take a real toll on our mental health, and having personal therapy can help support you through this.
If you are a trainee counsellor in need of your 20 hours of personal counselling please get in touch and see if I am the right counsellor for you.
Training, qualifications & experience
A little about me and my experience. I am a qualified person centred counsellor with a CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling and am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP). I am currently undertaking further study to complete my BSc (Hons) Psychology degree, and I am committed to regular professional development through extra training in areas that support my practice.
Alongside my counselling private practice, I volunteer as a counsellor with 1‑2‑1 Counselling York, a charity offering low‑cost support, where I also serve as a trustee involved in the running of the organisation. I also work part time as a Social Prescriber for York Mind, and pick up adhoc night shifts as a Mental Health Support Worker at a residential facility. Before qualifying, I spent many years working at OneBright, a private mental health company that provides psychological therapy and neurodevelopmental services.
I’ve worked with many clients from a wide range of backgrounds and with many different mental health needs of varying severity, supporting them as they navigate challenges and build a stronger sense of wellbeing. I bring this experience into our work together, offering a grounded, compassionate, and informed approach.
In addition to traditional talking therapy, I have experience offering walk‑and‑talk therapy, supporting clients who find movement, nature, and open space helpful for reflection and emotional processing. This approach can feel less intense than sitting face‑to‑face and is often beneficial for clients who feel more comfortable talking while walking or who find outdoor environments grounding.
While person‑centred counselling is at the core of my practice, I also integrate creative methods when helpful, such as drawing, sandbox work, and nesting dolls, these are particularly effective for clients processing trauma or those who find it difficult to express their feelings verbally, but can be used by anyone to support their therapy. These creative tools complement the counselling therapy rather than replacing it, offering additional ways for you to explore and understand your inner world.
Qualifications:
- CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Counselling
- CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling studies
- CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
- Bsc (Hons) Psychology Degree (completion due 2027)
- Certificate of Higher Education in Psychology
- 6 week Bereavement & Grief specialist training
- Attachment and Shame training
- Integrating artwork into your Counselling practice training
- Working with self harm and suicide: working safely and ethically with clients at risk
- Samaritans call handler training
- How to be a walk and talk counsellor training
- Working with Transgender and LGBTQ+ clients training.
Member organisations
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
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
£60.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Student Counsellor discount is available on request.
Please reach out if there are any concessions you want to enquire about, as I may have some available or be able to point you in the direction of trusted services that do offer what you need.
When I work
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Online - Daytime & Evening
Walk & Talk - Daytime only
In-person - currently Mondays and Tuesdays, please enquire if these don't suit.
Further information
Walk & Talk
If you decide to go ahead with walking therapy before we take a step outside I will arrange a session via video call/phone call to discuss the route, what you need, how the sessions will look and complete a risk assessment. Sessions take place in most types of weather, but they can be swopped to an online session if necessary. I have a choice of walking routes to suit different needs, but they are all based in and around York.
In-Person
I currently rent a room from a business on nunnery lane in York, it is an old building and does have narrow corridoors so if you need accessibility for mobility reasons please let me know and I can assess if it will be suitable for you. I am looking at room availability at other premises so I can offer more flexibility.
Online
Remote therapy is an accesible way of accessing counselling and it can be attended from anwhere in the UK no matter where you live. All you need is the ability to be able to access a computer, tablet or smartphone so that you can access the video call software. I use a choice of Doxy or GoogleMeet, both of which are GDPR compliant and approved by the BACP for confidential counselling use. During sessions you will need to ensure you are in a safe and confidential place with no one else present.
