Lee Whelan

With over two decades of experience, I am a dedicated substance misuse counselor who empowers others on their journey of change. My varied background includes designing holistic drug and alcohol programs, delivering impactful health education, and providing one-on-one counseling support. I find great purpose in being a part of an individual's process of transformation.

As a licensed counselor in the UK, I bring 3 years of professional experience to my practice. My expertise spans helping clients cope with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma, grief and loss. I meet each person where they are, believing we all have inner strengths to tap into. My client-centered approach focuses on empowering individuals to become authors of their own life stories.

Throughout my career, I have worked extensively with both adults and young people in settings ranging from criminal justice to health clinics. This allows me to understand substance misuse from multiple perspectives. At the end of the day, I am driven by a desire to promote positive change through compassionate counseling and whole-person support. I consider it a privilege to walk alongside others on their road to fulfillment and inner peace.

I practice an integrative counseling approach that combines Person-Centered and Psychodynamic therapies. This holistic framework sees you as a whole person and uses trauma-informed care to promote healing and growth.

My role is to offer a safe, structured space for you to process past traumatic experiences that may be negatively impacting your life now. The Person-Centered part of my approach emphasizes unconditional positive regard, empathic understanding, and genuineness to build trust. The Psychodynamic aspect looks at how your past wounds affect current thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Together we can increase self-awareness and make sense of your story. The gentle process of trauma integration in a judgment-free environment empowers you to release old pain, build resilience, and move forward with compassion for yourself and others. Small steps lead to big changes. I'm here to listen, understand, and support your journey toward greater well-being.

This first session marks the beginning of our therapeutic relationship. My goal is to create a solid foundation of understanding, trust and rapport.

Rather than make assumptions, I want to hear in your own words what brought you here and what you hope to achieve through counseling. By actively listening without judgment, I aim to gain insight into your unique needs and priorities.

Together, we'll explore your story, pinpoint areas of difficulty, and identify strengths and resources you bring to this process. With compassion and care, I'll get to know you as a whole person - your values, challenges, and dreams.

My role is to be your guide, not the expert with all the answers. Our path forward will be shaped collaboratively, tailored to your goals and preferred ways of growth.

This time is about you feeling heard, seen and empowered to articulate what you need. I'm here to understand, encourage and support you each step of the way. By building trust and rapport from our first exchange, we lay the groundwork for meaningful change.