Elizabeth Mills

Hi, I am Lizzy I am a qualified counsellor and psychotherapist working from person-centred place, I believe each client is unique and any kind of therapeutic interaction must allow for that.

Mental health is not linear, at some point we may all experience feeling overwhelmed and a ‘little’ lost or maybe even a ‘lot’ lost, this could be a short term or longer-term situation. Understanding our own emotional needs is so important to knowing who we are, where we have come from and where we are going. Busy lives and continual challenges make it difficult to maintain our emotional wellbeing, self-reflection through therapy and the practice of self-care can help keep us on track.

I have a wealth of experience in working with children and adults from all backgrounds both here in the UK and abroad. I have worked in educational settings supporting young people and adults with mental health and additional needs as well as roles working in countywide adult social care teams and youth engagement services.

As a counsellor I have worked in secondary schools, University settings and the charitable sector. I was a lead counsellor for a charity supporting those affected by sexual violence and have been a volunteer mentor within domestic violence services.

Other areas of interest and ways of working include, eco-therapy, play therapy and creative therapies. I am a qualified creative  arts facilitator and a member of APCCA (Association for Person-Centred Creative Arts), which brings the use of art and creativity into the therapy room where appropriate (no artistic prowess necessary, really).

Face to Face Talking Therapy

I provide counselling therapy for children, young people and adults in a variety of ways always from a person-centred place. I have my own office in the centre of Harrogate this is a spacious and safe place to work in person with clients. 

Online/Telephone Working

In addition to face-face client work I offer telephone and online video counselling through Zoom. Some clients prefer to work in one way exclusively, but some prefer the flexibility of different options at different times depending on what is going on for them in their busy lives. Having flexibility to work over the telephone or online allows for clients who do not live close enough to travel for face-face work to be able to arrange sessions with me and I often work with clients from other catchment areas.

Walk and Talk

I offer walk and talk outside, which for some is an appealing option. Eco-therapy is a growing area and has been increasingly in demand following the recent pandemic, in part as a reaction to having to spend more time indoors and as a potentially safer way to work due to minimised contact. Nature is its own therapy room and has the additional benefits of reducing isolation, inducing feelings of relaxation and improving physical health. 

Creative Arts Therapy

Working creatively in therapy can include the use of art, writing, play, sand and sound which can be helpful in aiding the therapeutic process. Creative working allows the client to be able to express feelings and emotions where the spoken word may be too difficult or painful as well as providing some needed relief to the possible intensity of sitting in the therapy chair.  Working using creative medium does not require any artistic ability or experience, it is open to all, it is about process and meaning making.

On receiving an enquiry,  I aim to get back in contact within 24hrs to arrange a set time to call to talk things through briefly. This initial call will be around twenty minutes and is free of charge, it allows us to make introductions, discuss ways of working and should you feel happy to move forward make an appointment for the first session.

If you prefer to text or voicemail, please leave contact details, as I work with clients throughout the day and am often unavailable to answer or in a confidential space. If you leave a voicemail or text, I will email back with some availability for a call back.

On booking your first session I will email confirmation of the time and date as well as additional details around how to find me and parking, if we are meeting online, I will attach a Zoom invite link. You will also receive some paperwork about what to expect and the terms of the therapeutic relationship and how to make payments to return prior to the session wherever possible.

Therapy sessions can be weekly, monthly or fortnightly dependent on need. Some clients start with more regular contact and then may lessen the frequency over time as they test the waters or feel more able to manage on their own.

In addition to the standard therapeutic hour, I offer a longer session at 1.5hrs for more intense work, these can be as a one off or regular, this may be useful if you are only able to meet less frequently or when outdoors you prefer a longer walk. We can discuss ways of working as we go along.

How people choose to work is dependent on their needs, time and budget it is entirely your choice and can be adapted at any point throughout our work together if and when things change.