Lee Payton

I offer sessions most days, from early morning and continuing through late afternoon. Please get in touch if you need a time outside these hours, and I’ll do my best to accommodate.

I’m an accredited counsellor and psychotherapist working with adults who may appear to be coping on the outside, but are experiencing anxiety, overthinking, low mood, self-doubt, or recurring emotional and relational patterns underneath.

Many of the people I work with feel stuck in patterns they can recognise but struggle to shift. Therapy provides a space to step back from day-to-day pressures, make sense of what is happening beneath the surface, and begin to create meaningful and sustainable change.

My approach is calm, reflective, and focused on understanding rather than simply managing symptoms. I work integratively, drawing on person-centred therapy, psychodynamic thinking, CBT, EMDR, and mindfulness-based approaches. This allows the work to be tailored to you, rather than applying a fixed or formulaic method.

Alongside my private practice, I have worked in NHS services, hospice care, and school counselling settings, supporting people across different stages of life and in a range of emotional and psychological contexts. This has informed a grounded, flexible way of working that adapts to each individual.

My aim is to offer a steady and thoughtful therapeutic space where you can develop greater clarity, emotional stability, and a deeper understanding of yourself and the patterns shaping your life.

Life can sometimes feel manageable on the surface, while internally feeling uncertain, anxious, or emotionally overwhelming. Many people come to therapy not because something is “wrong,” but because they feel stuck in patterns of overthinking, low mood, self-doubt, or repeated difficulties in relationships, work, or daily life.

I work with adults who may appear to be coping externally, but are struggling with anxiety, stress, low mood, emotional overwhelm, or a sense that they are not quite where they want to be in life. This can also include the impact of past experiences, life transitions, loss, or periods of prolonged pressure.

My aim is to offer a calm, confidential, and thoughtful space where you can speak openly and begin to make sense of what is going on beneath the surface. Therapy provides an opportunity to slow things down, understand the patterns that may be shaping your thoughts and feelings, and begin to create space for change.

I draw on person-centred therapy, psychodynamic understanding, CBT, EMDR, and mindfulness-based approaches. This allows therapy to be tailored to you as an individual, rather than following a fixed or formulaic way of working. Where helpful, we may also use practical strategies alongside deeper therapeutic exploration, particularly for anxiety and stress-related difficulties.

Alongside my private practice, I have experience working in NHS services, hospice care, and school counselling settings, supporting people across different life stages and a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties.

Whatever you are bringing, you do not need to navigate it alone. My focus is on helping you feel heard, understood, and supported, while working towards greater clarity, emotional balance, and a more grounded sense of direction in your life.

The first session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other and explore what has brought you to therapy.

You’ll have space to talk about what’s been difficult, what you’re hoping for, and what you would like to be different. There’s no expectation to share everything at once. This is simply a starting point, and we move at a pace that feels comfortable for you.

I’ll also ask some gentle questions to help build a clearer understanding of your situation and what feels most important to focus on. Together, we can begin to think about how therapy might be helpful and what working together could look like.

By the end of the session, there’s usually a sense of whether therapy feels like the right fit, and we can discuss next steps if you wish to continue. There is no pressure or obligation to commit beyond the first meeting.

My aim is for the first session to feel steady, grounded, and straightforward, giving you a clear sense of how I work and whether it feels right for you.

I offer face to face and online clinical counselling supervision for qualified counsellors and trainees.

As a Counselling Supervisor I am as passionate about helping and supporting you in your clinical counselling work, continuing professional development and future career path. My wealth of experience working alongside the NHS, Third Sector, Education and in Private Practice aims to support you and help you be the authentic and original counsellor you aim to be, placing safety and ethics at the heart of your practice.

I offer a complimentary/no charge intoductory Zoom or telephone call for you to decide whether you feel we are a good fit in working together.

Call or email me today to arrange a conversation to see how I can be of service to you.

We begin by looking at what you might like for the future, be it through training or aspirations, or whether you would like to bring clients from any particular context.