About me
You used to cope. You were the one who held everything together. But somewhere along the way, between the mental load, the masking, the never quite keeping up, you lost yourself. And now even the things that used to help don’t seem to touch it.
You don’t have to keep trying to find your way back alone. With the right support, things can feel different and that’s exactly what I’m here for.
I’m Leila, a BACP-registered counsellor and clinical hypnotherapist based in Darlington. I work with adults across a wide range of difficulties, offering a warm, confidential, non-judgmental space where you can explore what’s going on at your own pace without fear of judgment and without having to have it all figured out before you get here.
Alongside my general counselling practice, I have a specialist focus on ADHD, burnout, stress, and trauma. These are areas I’ve studied in depth and care about deeply.
Whether you come with a specific goal or you come simply knowing that something has to change, we work it out together.
I support adults with a wide range of difficulties including:
- Anxiety and low mood
- Stress and emotional overwhelm
- Relationship difficulties and communication
- Low self-esteem and loss of identity
- Life transitions and difficult life experiences
- Trauma - including the impact of childhood experiences, difficult relationships, or a lifetime of feeling misunderstood or dismissed
- ADHD - whether diagnosed, currently being assessed, or recognising the patterns for the first time
- Burnout - the kind that has built over months or years and doesn’t respond to a weekend off
- The aftermath of a late ADHD diagnosis -the relief, the grief, and the process of finally making sense of your story
You may come knowing exactly what you want to work on. You may come not really knowing what the issue is, only that something needs to shift. Either is completely fine and either is a completely valid place to start.
My core approach is Person-Centred, which means I believe you are the expert on your own experience. I won’t tell you what to do or impose solutions. I’ll provide a safe, supportive space in which you can explore your thoughts and feelings, gain new perspectives, and find your own way forward.
Because everyone I work with is different, I draw on a range of approaches depending on what will genuinely serve you best at any given point:
- Person-Centred Counselling - the foundation of everything I do
- Trauma-Informed Therapy - gentle, safe exploration of how past experiences shape present patterns, always at your pace
- Clinical Hypnotherapy - working with beliefs and patterns held beneath conscious awareness
- Solution-Focused Therapy - forward-facing work on where you want to be
- Mindfulness - building present-moment awareness and emotional regulation
- Life Coaching - practical strategies and structure for change
Sessions are available face to face at my private office in Darlington, online via Zoom, or by telephone — whichever works best for your life.
Training, qualifications & experience
Although my counselling approach is predominantly Person-Centred I also use other styles of counselling such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Hypnotherapy and Mindfulness depending on your needs and goals.
- Counselling Degree 2019
- Clinical Hypnotherapy 2019
- Life Coaching 2022
- Solution Focussed Therapy 2023
- Certified in Trauma Informed Therapy 2023
Sessions can be via zoom, telephone or face to face in my private office in Darlington.
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
£60.00 per session
Additional information
- I offer a free 15 minute telephone consultation to meet and discuss your needs.
- Face to Face counselling, online and telephone counselling is all charged at £60.00 per 50 minute session
When I work
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Further information
Face to Face counselling is done from my private office on Blackwell Lane in Darlington.
I also offer walk and talk therapy for those who would prefer to be outdoors and feel more comfortable in open spaces.
Making the first step towards accessing counselling can be a daunting but very worthwhile one. If you have any questions or queries please contact me by phone, text or email and we can have a chat about your needs and how counselling can help.
