Leigh McAlea

I work face to face with clients on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and have varied online availability.

I am a straightforward, warm, and compassionate counsellor, with a steadfast commitment to every person's potential for growth. I provide a safe, empathetic and honest space to help my clients understand, and work through, difficult often-painful feelings and experiences.

With support, and without judgement, therapy is a life enhancing opportunity to reflect on feelings, to talk about mental distress, and to explore and name problematic thoughts and behaviours.

Many clients I work with seek therapy because they feel depressed, stuck, lost, and anxious. Or trapped in negative patterns which no longer serve them. Many want to improve their relationships, address trauma, understand their internal world, and find better ways of coping rather than numbing, anger, or distancing for example. Some clients need a place to grieve and be with complicated feelings of loss.

I am a trained humanistic and psychodynamic therapist working with adults to understand how current problems may be shaped by past experiences and significant relationships. In doing so, unhelpful and destructive thoughts, feelings, and behaviours can be fully understood and released, creating space for meaningful change.

Some of the issues I work with include: -

• Depression, anxiety, and stress

• Relationship and attachment problems (how we emotionally bond with others)

• Working with neurodivergent individuals including ADHD (with and without a diagnosis) for example to help manage overwhelm, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts

• Disordered eating

• Bereavement, grief and loss

• Trauma, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse

• Existential issues including meaning, purpose, and identity

• Workplace and career issues including burnout

Before training as a psychotherapist, I worked for a decade in the music industry. After completing an MA in Human Rights, I then worked for international development and environmental NGOs. I hold an Advanced Diploma in Integrative Humanistic Counselling, accredited by the BACP.

I offer a short initial chat on the phone to get a sense of whether we will work well together. It's a chance to find out more about why you are seeking therapy, and to answer any questions you may have.

Our first session will focus on the main issues that bring you to therapy, your background and history, and what you would like to gain from therapy.

Sessions are 50 minutes long whether in person, or online.

I am a straightforward, warm, and compassionate counsellor, with a steadfast commitment to every person's potential for growth. I provide a safe, empathetic and honest space to help my clients understand, and work through, difficult often-painful feelings and experiences. 

With support, and without judgement, therapy is a life enhancing opportunity to reflect on feelings, to talk about mental distress, and to explore and name problematic thoughts and behaviours. 

Many clients I work with seek therapy because they feel depressed, stuck, lost, and anxious. Or trapped in negative patterns which no longer serve them. Many want to improve their relationships, address trauma, understand their internal world, and find better ways of coping rather than numbing, anger, or distancing for example. Some clients need a place to grieve and be with complicated feelings of loss.

I am a trained humanistic and psychodynamic therapist working with adults to understand how current problems may be shaped by past experiences and significant relationships. In doing so, unhelpful and destructive thoughts, feelings, and behaviours can be fully understood and released, creating space for meaningful change. 

Some of the issues I work with include: - 

• Depression, anxiety, and stress
  
• Relationship and attachment problems (how we emotionally bond with others)
  
• Disordered eating
  
• Bereavement, grief and loss
  
• Trauma, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse
  
• Existential issues including meaning, purpose, and identity
  
• Working with neurodivergent individuals including ADHD (with and without a diagnosis) for example to help manage overwhelm, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts
  
• Gender dysphoria
  
• Workplace and career issues including burnout
  

Before training as a psychotherapist, I worked for a decade in the music industry. After completing an MA in Human Rights, I then worked for international development and environmental NGOs. I hold an Advanced Diploma in Integrative Humanistic Counselling, accredited by the BACP.

I ask potential clients for a short phone conversation which gives us both a sense of whether we will work well together. It's also a chance for you to ask questions. 

Our first session will focus on the main issues that bring you to therapy, your background and history, and what you would like to gain from therapy. 

Sessions are 50 minutes long whether in person, or online.

I am a straightforward, warm, and compassionate counsellor, with a steadfast commitment to every person's potential for growth. I provide a safe, empathetic and honest space to help my clients understand, and work through, difficult often-painful feelings and experiences.

With support, and without judgement, therapy is a life enhancing opportunity to reflect on feelings, to talk about mental distress, and to explore and name problematic thoughts and behaviours.

Many clients I work with seek therapy because they feel depressed, stuck, lost, and anxious. Or trapped in negative patterns which no longer serve them. Many want to improve their relationships, address trauma, understand their internal world, and find better ways of coping rather than numbing, anger, or distancing for example. Some clients need a place to grieve and be with complicated feelings of loss.

I am a trained humanistic and psychodynamic therapist working with adults to understand how current problems may be shaped by past experiences and significant relationships. In doing so, unhelpful and destructive thoughts, feelings, and behaviours can be fully understood and released, creating space for meaningful change.

Some of the issues I work with include: -

• Depression, anxiety, and stress

• Relationship and attachment problems (how we emotionally bond with others)

• Disordered eating

• Bereavement, grief and loss

• Trauma, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse

• Existential issues including meaning, purpose, and identity

• Working with neurodivergent individuals including ADHD (with and without a diagnosis) for example to help manage overwhelm, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts

• Gender dysphoria

• Workplace and career issues including burnout

Before training as a psychotherapist, I worked for a decade in the music industry. After completing an MA in Human Rights, I then worked for international development and environmental NGOs. I hold an Advanced Diploma in Integrative Humanistic Counselling, accredited by the BACP.

I offer an initial fifteen minute phone conversation which gives us both a sense of whether we will work well together. And a chance for you to ask questions you may have. 

Our first session will focus on the main issues that bring you to therapy, your background and history, and what you would like to gain from therapy.

I work face to face with clients on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and have varied online availability.

I am a straightforward, warm, and compassionate counsellor, with a steadfast commitment to every person's potential for growth. I provide a safe, empathetic and honest space to help my clients understand, and work through, difficult often-painful feelings and experiences.

With support, and without judgement, therapy is a life enhancing opportunity to reflect on feelings, to talk about mental distress, and to explore and name problematic thoughts and behaviours.

Many clients I work with seek therapy because they feel depressed, stuck, lost, and anxious. Or trapped in negative patterns which no longer serve them. Many want to improve their relationships, address trauma, understand their internal world, and find better ways of coping rather than numbing, anger, or distancing for example. Some clients need a place to grieve and be with complicated feelings of loss.

I am a trained humanistic and psychodynamic therapist working with adults to understand how current problems may be shaped by past experiences and significant relationships. In doing so, unhelpful and destructive thoughts, feelings, and behaviours can be fully understood and released, creating space for meaningful change.

Some of the issues I work with include: -

• Depression, anxiety, and stress

• Relationship and attachment problems (how we emotionally bond with others)

• Working with neurodivergent individuals including ADHD (with and without a diagnosis) for example to help manage overwhelm, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts

• Disordered eating

• Bereavement, grief and loss

• Trauma, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse

• Existential issues including meaning, purpose, and identity

• Workplace and career issues including burnout

Before training as a psychotherapist, I worked for a decade in the music industry. After completing an MA in Human Rights, I then worked for international development and environmental NGOs. I hold an Advanced Diploma in Integrative Humanistic Counselling, accredited by the BACP.

I offer a short initial chat on the phone to get a sense of whether we will work well together. It's a chance to find out more about why you are seeking therapy, and to answer any questions you may have.

Our first session will focus on the main issues that bring you to therapy, your background and history, and what you would like to gain from therapy.

Sessions are 50 minutes long whether in person, or online.