“... With Abby’s care, kindness, warmth, understanding and compassion I feel renewed and back in touch with myself."

About Me

As you probably know by now, I am Abby (MBACP), a passionate, empathic, trauma-informed* counsellor, psychotherapist, and coach based in South Bristol.

I offer counselling and coaching services in person from a beautiful therapy room in Bristol (BS13) and online via Zoom to clients all over the UK. I always aim to provide my clients with a safe, warm, non-judgemental, compassionate, and empathic space to share, process, and explore what is going on for them.

I am fully insured, a member of BACP*, and hold a Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy, as well as many coaching certifications and diplomas, including:

  • Diploma in Educational Psychology

  • Understanding Neurodivergence

  • Confidence Coaching

  • Anxiety & Resilience Coaching

  • Counselling ADHD and Autistic Clients

  • Working with Children and Young People in Counselling

CPD is essential to my practice, so as both a counsellor and coach, I commit to completing at least 40 hours of Continued Professional Development annually, as well as updating my qualifications and certifications whenever necessary.

As a counsellor, I work with young people (age 14+) and adults. I can support clients seeking help with:

  • Anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues

  • Managing stress

  • OCD, compulsive behavior, and intrusive thoughts

  • PTSD and CPTSD

  • Coming to terms with diagnoses

  • Gender, sexuality, and identity struggles

  • Grief, loss, and bereavement

  • Exploring and healing from recent and historic trauma

  • Sexual issues

  • Family and relationship challenges

  • Self-esteem and self-worth building

  • Friendship issues and bullying

  • Unhelpful behaviour, thoughts, and beliefs

  • Understanding, exploring, and healing from domestic violence and abuse

  • Understanding, exploring, and healing from sexual violence and abuse

  • Understanding, exploring, and healing from childhood neglect and abuse

If I have not listed what you are facing, pop me a message and we can talk more about how I can help.

Much of my work as a coach has been with children, young people, and adults who wish to let go of anxiety and build their confidence.

Inclusivity is a strong value of mine, so I always aim to offer a therapeutic environment that suits each client’s individual needs. This is something we can talk about in our first session and will return to throughout our work together. Ensuring you feel safe is always my priority.

Currently, I work with many ADHD and Autistic clients. I believe my practice is well suited to neurodivergent individuals.

As well as running my Bristol-based private practice, I co-run HappiMe CIC, a not-for-profit organisation on a mission to improve children’s mental health. I also volunteer at SARSAS (Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support), a very special charity, and I am deeply motivated to make a difference to the lives of survivors of sexual violence and abuse.

I identify as a queer woman and use the pronouns she/her.

*BACP stands for The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). It is the UK's leading professional body for the counselling and coaching professions, promoting the role of counselling, protecting the profession and the public, and educating the public about the practice and benefits of counselling and psychotherapy. To become a member of BACP and to receive my BACP and NCPS accredited Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy, I had to undertake training that meets certain standards set out by the organisation, including 150-hours + pre-qualification counselling hours, 3-years+ of classroom-based learning, regular supervision, and much more.

*As a trauma-informed counsellor, I appreciate and understand the impact trauma can have on individuals and their behaviour. I therefore approach counselling with sensitivity and awareness to avoid re-traumatisation, fostering a safe and supportive environment for you to heal. 

 FAQs

To understand more about how I work, how I can help, and what sessions with me might look like, I have added some information below to help you on your journey to finding a new counsellor. I hope this is helpful!

I appreciate that choosing a counsellor can be tricky and confusing, so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Thank you for taking the time to read through this information. As I said earlier, I know choosing a counsellor or a coach can be a minefield, so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch! My inbox is open. 

What Do My Clients Say?

“There is no beating around the bush, counselling is hard. But with Abby’s care, kindness, warmth, understanding and compassion I feel renewed and back in touch with myself. I smile more and hold boundaries, both of which were alien to me when we first met. I am so grateful for meeting Abby and the support she has offered me. Thank you.”

“I reached out to Abby when my daughter was going through a really difficult period in her life. We were extremely lucky to have Abby respond and go on to support my daughter over the past 2.5 years.

The techniques Abby used were really effective in helping my daughter overcome any sad and anxious thoughts she was having and she felt able to open up to Abby about these. A lot of this is down to Abby being very kind, friendly and just generally, lovely!

My daughter has grown in confidence and is so much stronger than she was a few years ago and we definitely have Abby to thank for that!”

“Abby has supported my son to gain confidence & be strong enough to deal with difficult situations, he has changed so much even other family members have noticed. He is starting to be able to take control when feeling overwhelmed, after his sessions with Abby he always comes away with a smile on his face and tells me how well it went.”

“My life has transformed since starting counselling with Abby. I was so anxious when I first asked for help, and now, I enjoy life and feel so much more confident.”

“I contacted Abby just after being diagnosed as AuDHD. Abby has helped me to understand what that means, explore who I am, communicate my needs, and live a much fuller life than I was living pre-diagnosis. Thank you Abby.”

Contact Me

Interested in working with me? Fill out this form and I will be in touch within just a few days.