Name: Trudie Bamford
Address: Studio Suite L, Market Hall, Market Place, Chesterfield, S40 1AR, GB
Telephone: +447895571083
Price range: £60.00 per session

About me

Think therapists are all soothing voices and beige cardigans? Yeah, no. I don’t fit that cliché.

To be fair, most people don’t fit the “ideal therapy client” cliché either.

People come to therapy for all sorts of reasons.

Sometimes it’s obvious. Something’s happened. A loss. A breakup. Something that’s knocked things sideways and hasn’t really settled again.

Other times it’s harder to point to. On paper, everything’s fine—but it doesn’t feel fine.

A relationship that doesn’t quite work, but you can’t explain why.
A job that slowly drains you, even though you “should” be fine with it.
That low-level, persistent “what is the point of everything?” running in the background.
Or a sense that you’re not really yourself anymore (or maybe never quite were).

For some people, there’s also a longer-standing pattern underneath all of that—especially if you identify as neurodivergent, or suspect you might be.

A lot of neurodivergent people arrive in therapy already exhausted from trying to explain themselves. Not just to other people, but to themselves too.

Years of wondering why things seem harder than they “should” be, why everything takes so much effort, why you feel simultaneously “too much” and “not enough”.

I try to create a space that feels real enough for people to stop masking so hard. I work in a way that leaves room for tangents, overthinking, unfinished thoughts, and the occasional complete mental blank. I’m neurodivergent too, so trust me, between us, there’s a fair chance at least one train of thought will leave the station unexpectedly.

In my experience that’s where the gold is.

If your idea of therapy is sitting across from someone very polished, very calm, asking “and how does that make you feel?” on a loop—that’s not really what happens here.

You’ll be sitting across from someone with purple hair, tattoos, Doc Martens, and a strong tendency to swear.

We’ll talk. Properly. No formulas. No trying to say things in the “right” way. No quietly wondering if you’re doing therapy correctly.

If you’ve had a bad experience of counselling before, you’re not alone.

A lot of it comes down to fit. Trying to talk about your life with someone who feels slightly off, or like they’re playing a role, or like you have to adjust yourself to match them… doesn’t get you very far.

So I don’t try to do that.

We’ll be real with each other.

Not in a stagey “authenticity” way. Just… normal.

If something’s off, we’ll notice it. If something lands, we’ll stay with it. It’s a conversation, not a script.

Because this tends to work better when you don’t have to edit yourself to be here.

Which, really, is the point of this being human.

Curious but unsure?

Totally fair. That’s why I offer a free 15-minute chat to see if we’re a good fit. If I don’t have availability for new clients, we can still have an introductory call, and if you’re happy to wait, I can add you to my waiting list until space becomes available.

Training, qualifications & experience

I’m trained in humanistic integrative therapy. I know, word salad….

It basically means I believe you already have the good stuff inside you - you just might need some help finding it under all the stress, expectations, and ancient coping mechanisms. I’ve lived through the messy stuff; I know what it means to rebuild from the inside out. I’m not about fixing you, because you’re not broken. But I can help you make sense of what’s changed, and find a way forward, so you can start to thrive, not just survive. I won’t sit there nodding silently or throw psychobabble at you. I’ll show up as a real person, with curiosity, warmth and a deep belief that change is possible - even if right now that might sound impossible.

I work with adults (18+) and have particular experience with grief, trauma, and all the messy in-between stuff, including the kinds of loss that don’t come with a sympathy card. I also work as a trainer, creating and delivering training about all things grief related, like bereavement by suicide, and grief in neurodivergent people (I'm neurodivergent myself).

I see clients in Chesterfield, or online/by phone; sessions cost £60 per hour.