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I offer in person sessions in the West End of Edinburgh, including on Saturday mornings. I offer after work appointments during the week. I also offer online sessions. 

Generally I am only able to offer weekly appointments - unfortunately I can only offer a very limited number of fortnightly sessions. I have a limited number of concessionary spaces at £35 - please feel free to contact me to discuss this further.

Saturday sessions and evening sessions offered. Hello and welcome. I’m Courtney, a Íø±¬ÃÅ registered Counsellor and Psychotherapist. Whatever it is that’s brought you here, I’ll offer you kindness, compassion and respect in a space that encourages exploration of your full self. I believe no part of you is wrong, faulty or irrational.

I have experience supporting people with a wide variety of issues but have a specialist knowledge and interest in both substance use and trauma. I particularly value working with people who feel they are very sensitive, or have been told that they are 'too' sensitive, and have completed CPD around working with Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), who are often over-represented in people who seek therapy.

The counselling modality I use is Person Centred, though I draw on ideas from other therapies, primarily Compassion Focused Therapy. I believe you are the expert in your life, and the role of the therapist is to help you access parts of yourself that will help you thrive and grow. The therapy has no agenda - it is about you, your experiences and your goals.  Whilst I will help deepen your self-understanding, you will never be pushed to discuss anything you don’t want to. My practice is trauma informed.

I've supported people with substance use issues, (theirs, or another person's), gambling issues, depression, anxiety, bereavement, physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse, life transitions & academic issues. I promote a sense of wholeness in my approach - helping you find ways that encourage you to appreciate both the ‘helpful’ and ‘unhelpful’ parts of who you are - tuning into what they are trying to tell you, even in the midst of anger, pain, grief or inner turmoil. 

My practice takes a holistic view of the brain and body's relationship, and depending on individual circumstances, I may offer some suggestions for body based exercises that can be used outside of the therapy space. 

Sometimes what brings us to therapy is the feeling that there’s something wrong with us. Something that means we find it hard to cope in the world, to be happy, to make the best of ourselves. This can present as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, problems with alcohol, drugs or food, or other mental health issues. We may also find ourselves repeating patterns in relationships, or struggle with how to communicate with colleagues, family or loved ones.

My overriding belief is that there is nothing ‘wrong’ with who you are, and it’s my role to help you uncover what may be making you feel this way. This is achieved primarily through discussion and dialogue - something to note is that I don't ask people to do written work, or offer you specific suggestions on how to combat your problems. Together, we would compassionately explore what it is that has shaped, and continues to shape you, so you can work out the best path for your present and your future.

Do I just talk about my feelings in therapy?

That’s up to you. I understand that sometimes it can be hard to put things into words. You don’t always have to talk. In person I have art supplies - if you want you can draw - in a 'previous life' I worked in the arts and received a Masters Degree in Art History. You can also play music softly if that’s a method of communication you find helpful. It’s your space.

Anti-Oppressive practice

I recognise the impact that social attitudes towards gender, sexuality, race, religious expression, neurodivergence, non-monogamy and other marginalised characteristics have upon people seeking counselling and seek to counter this in my work. 

Accessibility

My therapy space is on the ground floor, however unfortunately isn't wheelchair accessible as there are steps up from the main door. The bathroom is on the level below my therapy room. Please let me know about any accessibility needs you may have.

I have more information about me and my approach on my website which you can access in the link above. 

To make sure that we are the right fit for each other, I offer a half price first session at £27.50. This session lasts 50 minutes, the same as a standard session. This is a chance for us to get to know each other and I welcome questions in this session if you have them.

You'll do most of the talking, but I will ask some questions to get a sense of the issues that you're bringing, a bit about your background and so I get an understanding of the support you're looking for. There's a few practical things that I need to make sure you're aware of as well.  

There's no obligation to continue working with me after this session.