Alex McStea

I have availability to offer face to face sessions on Mondays and Tuesdays, at Lathom House Consulting Rooms in Burscough. 

I also offer online sessions on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

I work with women and teenage girls (11+) who are struggling with anxiety, body image, or low self-esteem. On the outside, you might look like you're coping; going to school, work, or keeping everything together. But inside, your mind can feel chaotic, critical, and exhausting to live with.

If you're a parent reading this on behalf of your daughter, this is for you too. I work with a lot of high-school-age young people navigating these struggles too.

You might find yourself overthinking conversations, comparing your body or achievements to others, and coming away feeling like you're not good enough. Anxiety can show up socially, in relationships, or when life feels overwhelming, and it's easy to end up blaming yourself, or feeling like you're "too sensitive."

Often, being critical of your body becomes the place all of this lands, as a way of trying to feel more in control when everything else feels uncertain. Underneath that is usually something about self-worth: whether you're enough, whether you belong, whether you're allowed to just be, without earning it.

I offer a warm, supportive space where you, or your daughter, can feel truly heard and accepted, exactly as you are. As a person-centred therapist, I won't tell you how you should feel or who you need to be, I meet you where you are, and go at your pace.

Over the past seven years, I've supported teenagers and women across schools, charities, and private practice, with a focus on anxiety, self-esteem, and body image. I also trained as an intuitive eating counsellor alongside my therapy work, so if food and body image are part of what's going on, that's genuinely familiar territory for me.

The support I offer isn't only for young people who look like they're holding it together on the outside. I also work with teenagers who are struggling more visibly, including emotionally based school avoidance and difficulties in coping with emotions.

In our sessions, we gently explore the patterns that might be keeping you stuck, such as being critical of yourself, comparing yourself to others, or feeling like you're never quite "good enough." Together we start to question where those beliefs came from, while also finding practical ways to manage anxiety day to day.

If it's relevant, we can look at your relationship with food and your body with compassion, and start building a stronger sense of your own worth that isn't dependent on appearance or achievement.

Sessions are relaxed, supportive, and tailored to you. Alongside talking, I may bring in creative or practical tools if that suits how you process things best.

Over time, many clients notice their inner voice becoming softer, anxiety feeling easier to navigate, and a more grounded, confident sense of self beginning to grow.

If you think I might be the right fit for you or your daughter, I offer a free 20-minute phone or video consultation. There’s no pressure, it’s simply a chance to ask questions, share what’s brought you to therapy, and get a feel for how I work.

If you decide to book a first session, we’ll gently explore what’s been happening for you and what you’d like to gain from therapy.