Vicki McLellan

About me

 Every person has a unique story that has unfolded within relationships, families, communities, cultures and the wider world. Because of this, I am interested in the whole of who you are, not simply the difficulties that have brought you to therapy.

I believe we are part of nature, not separate from it.

Just as ecosystems are shaped by countless relationships, histories and environments, so are we.

A diagnosis, behaviour, or way of coping is just one small part of a much bigger story.

Whatever has brought you here, I believe it makes sense in the context of your life. Together, we can begin to explore that story with curiosity and compassion, making sense of how you came to be where you are today.

Whether you are living with anxiety, depression, trauma, eating difficulties, neurodivergence, relationship challenges, or simply feeling that life has become overwhelming, I offer a warm, relational and non-judgemental space where every part of your experience is welcome.

You may have spent much of your life feeling unseen, unheard or misunderstood, learning to adapt yourself to meet the expectations of family, relationships, work, education or the wider systems around you.

These adaptations often begin early and make perfect sense in the environments where they developed. They may have helped you stay safe, connected, accepted or simply survive. Yet over time, they can leave you feeling disconnected from yourself—your needs, values, preferences or sense of identity.

Perhaps you've reached a point where you're exhausted from carrying so much, where relationships feel difficult, or where you're no longer sure who you are beneath all the ways you've learned to cope. You may not know exactly what needs to change, only that something feels different now.

I see therapy as a collaborative process of understanding, healing and discovering new possibilities.

Together, we can gently explore not only your inner world, but also the relationships, environments and experiences that have shaped your life, creating space for new ways of relating to yourself, to others and to the world around you.

How counselling and psychotherapy can help
I work from a relational and ecological perspective, drawing on Transactional Analysis (TA) psychotherapy, neuro-affirming practice, trauma-informed practice and my own lived experience of being in therapy.

Rather than asking, "What's wrong with you?", I'm more interested in asking, "What has happened?" and "How have your experiences shaped the ways you have learned to survive, protect yourself and relate to others?"

Together, we can explore these patterns with curiosity and care, notice what they have protected, and consider what you might want to keep, revise or let go of, so that life can feel more spacious, grounded and choiceful.

Outdoor therapy
Alongside online and in-person therapy, I also offer outdoor therapy in Renfrewshire.

For some people, outdoor therapy simply means taking the therapeutic conversation beyond the walls of the therapy room. Walking side by side or sitting quietly outdoors can feel less formal, allowing thoughts and feelings to emerge more naturally.

At other times, the natural world becomes part of the therapeutic process itself. Together, we might notice how different places, changing seasons, weather, movement or stillness affect you. Sometimes these experiences simply support conversation. At other times they open new ways of understanding yourself and your relationships.

For me, outdoor therapy is not about using nature as a technique or expecting it to provide answers. Instead, it recognises that we are already in relationship with the world around us. Rather than meeting in a space that belongs to either of us, we share time together within the natural world, noticing how it influences us both. Nature becomes another presence within the therapeutic relationship, offering opportunities for reflection, perspective and connection in ways that are unique to each person.

Whether we work outdoors, online or in the therapy room, this ecological perspective continues to shape how I understand people and the stories they bring.

What you might come to therapy with
You may be coming with something very specific, or with a more general sense of feeling stuck, disconnected or unsure of yourself. You might:

Notice familiar patterns repeating in relationships.
Feel exhausted by long-standing ways of coping.
Wonder how earlier experiences are still shaping your life.
Feel disconnected from your needs, feelings or sense of self.
Be navigating a significant life change or transition.
Feel overwhelmed by the expectations placed upon you by yourself or others.
Whatever has brought you here, we can take time to explore it together and think about what kind of support feels right for you.

My approach
I work relationally and collaboratively, believing that healing happens through relationship rather than through advice.

Transactional Analysis offers a rich framework for understanding how our patterns of relating, protecting ourselves and making meaning have developed over time. At the same time, I hold these patterns within the wider contexts of people's lives. Family, culture, identity, communities, social systems and the more-than-human world all shape who we become and how we experience ourselves.

This means I remain interested not only in your thoughts and feelings, but also in the wider ecology of your life.

I often work with people who are:

• Living with the effects of complex, relational or acute trauma.
• Struggling with eating difficulties.
• Noticing painful or repetitive relational patterns.
• Navigating the world as a neurodivergent adult.
• Seeking a deeper understanding of themselves beyond labels or diagnoses.

Above all, what matters most to me is meeting you as a whole person with curiosity, compassion and respect.

About me
My journey into counselling and psychotherapy began through my own experience as a client, so I understand how much courage it can take to reach out and begin therapy.

Alongside my private practice, I continue to develop my thinking through ongoing training, supervision and a growing interest in ecological and relational approaches to psychotherapy. I remain deeply curious about what it means to be human, and how healing can emerge through relationships—with ourselves, with others and with the wider world.

If you're looking for a therapist who wants to understand you in context rather than reducing you to a diagnosis or a set of symptoms, I'd love to hear from you.

Practical information
I offer:

Long-term psychotherapy for deeper exploration.

Short-term counselling for focused work.

Sessions are available:

• Outdoors in Renfrewshire.
• In person in Glasgow City Centre.
• Online throughout the UK.

Together we can decide which setting feels most supportive for you. Some people prefer the familiarity of a therapy room, others find being outdoors creates a different rhythm and sense of possibility. There is no right way—only what feels right for you.

Training, qualifications & experience
I am a fully qualified counsellor and have completed four years of psychotherapy training.

Professional development is an ongoing journey, and I am currently working towards full psychotherapy registration and Certified Transactional Analyst (CTA) status.

My psychotherapy training took place at Physis Scotland. I undertake regular professional supervision with two experienced supervisors and remain committed to my own personal therapy as an essential part of ethical and reflective practice.

Alongside my core training, I have completed additional professional development in mental health first aid, suicide prevention, working with eating disorders, working with complex trauma, acute trauma and relational trauma. I continue to deepen my knowledge through further study in relational, ecological and trauma-informed psychotherapy.

I hold a limited number of low cost spaces.

Counselling offers a space to make sense of current challenges. Together we will explore patterns that are arising and how they show up. You will gain insight and grow towards new ways of approaching relationships and life's challenges. 

Psychotherapy offers a path to reconnect with ourselves, helping us make meaning of our experiences and deepen our understanding of how we’ve adapted and survived. Through this process, we foster self-awareness, gain insight into our patterns, and build a stronger connection to our internal world. 

I work relationally which means building a strong therapeutic relationship is important. It also means that we are likely to encounter dynamics similar to other relationships. This is all good information and completely normal when humans are working together.