Aileen McDonald

I am an experienced psychotherapist and use a variety of approaches, based on many years training and experience of different types of therapy. I integrate mindfulness with more traditional talking therapies as I believe this taps into our inner wisdom – to find resources that we may not be aware of, to manage our emotions and generally to create more satisfying and fulfilling lives.

I was a lawyer and manager for many years before training to be a therapist and I bring to my work an awareness of the challenges associated with a corporate environment.

Although I work with a variety of people with different issues, I have a particular interest in working with people who are suffering from anxiety, stress, are experiencing difficulties with relationships, have low-self-esteem and/or who have experienced bullying now at some point in their earlier life.

I am also interested in working with trauma. In the last 20 years, developments in neuroscience have given a far greater understanding of the psychological and physiological processes involved and newer ways of working have developed that more directly impact the bodily and emotional legacy of trauma. Sensorimotor Psychotherapy addresses the effects of trauma on the nervous system and body without the need to use touch. Mindfulness techniques help to resolve trauma-related body responses before processing emotional responses and meaning-making.

Training, qualifications & experience - I completed the Oxford Cambridge and RSA certificate in Counselling Skills in 2005 and am a graduate of Spectrum's Psychotherapy training programme. I became an accredited psychotherapist and was registered with the UKCP in 2011 and am a registered member of the BACP. I have also completed the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute’s training for the treatment of Trauma and developmental Trauma, their Advanced training for more complex issues. I am also now a certified Sensorimotor therapist.