Devon McDonald

My name is Devon McDonald and I am a fully qualified and accredited counsellor. I am an Accredited Member of the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP).  Additionally I have completed the specialist training to support those who have been affected by issues relating to adoption.

My primary training is psychodynamic and I work to the BACP's Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy and Professional Conduct Procedures. 

I offer professional counselling facing a wide range of personal issues and challenges. I work together with clients to explore thoughts, feelings and behaviours which may be troubling them. I am currently working with children, young people and adults with a wide range of backgrounds. 

The purpose of therapy is not to give advice but instead to help you to understand your feelings and behaviour more clearly which can empower you to make changes should you wish to.

I offer a safe, empathic and non-judgemental space to explore your feelings and behaviour in a safe and confidential environment.

For clients suffering from PTSD and the associated flashbacks and nightmares, I offer EMDR which is a treatment for trauma recommended by the World Health Organisation and is listed as one of the PTSD treatment protocols by NICE. I am trained in EMDR to work with children, young people and adults. EMDR can be used for single event trauma such as a car accident, fire in the home or attack. It can also be used for more complex traumas such as childhood abuse and trauma associated with the armed forces and first responders. EMDR is not a traditional talk therapy and is based on the adaptive information processing model. Please get in touch if you would like to find out more about this.

For clients who are interested in working in a polyvagal informed way, I am a certified provider of the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP). The SSP is a listening based intervention which runs alongside your weekly therapy sessions.

Many people experience low mood, anxiety or depression at some point in their life. If you feel that things are too much, you may feel overwhelmed or maybe you are not sure how to cope, it might be that it is the right time for you to try therapy. The aim of counselling is to explore the causes of these difficult emotions in a safe and ethical environment. This offers an opportunity to work towards healthier life choices, better relationships and higher self-esteem.

​​Ultimately therapy offers you the experience of sharing with someone who is non-judgemental and empathic and who actively listens to what you have to say. The time you spend with your therapist is purely for and about you. In this busy world, it is a time for reflection and self care.

If you have suffered trauma, either resulting in PTSD or in maladaptive coping strategies, we can work together using EMDR to process the trauma (or traumas). I am trained to use EMDR with all age ranges. As trauma is held in the body and can impact the way the brain develops, it is important to see clients as early as possible in order to help them to process the difficult memories.

To make an appointment, you can call me in confidence on 07960 084831 or alternatively email me at devon.mcdonald.counselling@gmail.com.  

I offer an initial session during which time we would explore together why you have come to therapy and whether we think we could work together. It is important that you feel you are with the right therapist and as such there is no obligation to commit to therapy after this session. If we decide to work together, in order for the therapy to be effective and for trust to develop, regular sessions are important. I usually offer weekly, but some clients choose to come fortnightly or even monthly. This is something we can discuss at the end of our initial session.