Toni Denton

I offer a warm, relational space where you can show up just as you are. Whether you are feeling stuck, overwhelmed, anxious, burnt out, or simply aware that something does not feel right, I will meet you with honesty, care and curiosity.

My approach is grounded, human and collaborative. I believe change happens when you feel safe enough to slow down, explore what sits beneath the surface, and begin to understand yourself in a new way.

Clients come to me with many different experiences, including anxiety, low self esteem, people pleasing, past trauma, grief, emotional overwhelm, relationship difficulties, parenting struggles, identity questions, and feeling disconnected from themselves. You do not need to have everything figured out before starting therapy. Together, we gently explore the thoughts, feelings and patterns that may be keeping you stuck, helping you reconnect with who you are and what matters to you.

A significant part of my work involves supporting neurodivergent adults and parents. My interest in ADHD and Autism is shaped by both lived experience and professional training. Both my daughter and I were diagnosed later in life, so I understand how emotional, confusing and validating that process can feel. Many neurodivergent clients tell me they have spent years trying to fit into environments or expectations that never truly reflected who they are. My space welcomes your communication style, pacing, sensory needs and unique way of processing.

Alongside counselling, I also offer coaching for people who feel ready to focus more directly on change, goals and practical next steps. Coaching can support neurodivergent clients who struggle with executive functioning, confidence, overwhelm or life transitions. I am currently completing ICF accredited coaching training to ensure my work remains ethical, reflective and aligned with recognised standards.

I offer both face-to-face sessions from my cosy garden office in East Leeds, as well as remote sessions via video call or telephone, whichever feels most comfortable and accessible for you.

My approach is integrative, meaning I draw from different therapeutic approaches depending on your needs, rather than working in a one-size-fits-all way. I work relationally and person-centred, placing importance on the connection between us. I believe you are the expert in your own life, and my role is to walk alongside you with empathy, honesty and curiosity.

While counselling often focuses on what is happening in the present, we may also gently explore earlier life experiences, including childhood, family dynamics or past relationships, if this feels helpful. Understanding these experiences can help make sense of certain patterns, emotional responses or beliefs that may still be impacting you today.

Clients come to me for many reasons, including anxiety, low self worth, people pleasing, emotional overwhelm, relationship difficulties, parenting struggles, grief, trauma, neurodivergence and feeling stuck or disconnected from themselves.

I also offer the Rewind Technique, a gentle and non-intrusive approach designed to help process traumatic memories without needing to repeatedly revisit or talk through the details of the experience.

I have a particular interest in supporting neurodivergent adults and parents, especially around ADHD and Autism. This interest is shaped by both professional experience and lived experience. I understand the impact of late diagnosis, identity struggles, masking, burnout and the challenges that can come with parenting neurodivergent children, and I bring warmth, understanding and flexibility into this work.

I am an approved provider with Bupa, AXA, Aviva, Cigna and Vitality Health. If you are using private health insurance, it can be helpful to check your policy beforehand for any mental health cover, referral requirements or excess fees.

Your relationship with your counsellor is unique and unlike any other. I believe it’s important to find someone you feel comfortable with, someone you can be open with without fear of judgement. The first session is an opportunity for us to meet, explore what has brought you to counselling, and see whether we feel like a good fit to work together.

Sessions are usually 50 minutes long, although I also offer extended 75 minute sessions for clients who feel they may benefit from a little more space and time. Some people find longer sessions helpful when exploring deeper emotional work, processing trauma, or when they feel they need more time to settle into the session without feeling rushed.

There is no obligation to continue after the first session. Many people use this space to ask questions, get a feel for how I work, and decide whether counselling feels right for them.

If we choose to continue working together, sessions are usually weekly to begin with. This helps build trust, safety and consistency within the therapeutic relationship. Over time, some clients choose to move to fortnightly sessions depending on their needs and what feels manageable.

The first session is a gentle space to talk about what is going on for you right now, what you would like support with, and anything that feels important to share. I may ask some questions to help me understand you better and explore what you hope to gain from therapy.

I understand that reaching out for support can feel difficult, and often the first step is the hardest. My aim is to offer a calm, supportive and non-judgemental space where you can move at your own pace and feel genuinely heard and understood.

I currently offer a limited number of neurodivergent-affirming coaching sessions, available online or in person from my cosy garden office in East Leeds (LS14).

My working hours are flexible, and I offer some evening appointments where possible. Coaching can be short-term and focused around a specific goal or challenge, or longer-term for those wanting ongoing support, reflection and accountability.

Sessions are tailored to you and your individual needs. Some clients come to coaching feeling stuck, overwhelmed or unsure where to begin, while others are looking for support with confidence, burnout, emotional regulation, executive functioning, identity or life transitions.

If you would like to arrange an initial appointment or ask any questions about coaching, please feel free to email me and I will be happy to discuss what support may feel most helpful for you.

I’m Toni, a qualified counsellor and neurodivergent-affirming coach supporting adults who feel stuck, burnt out, disconnected, or unsure what comes next.

Alongside counselling, I offer a reflective, future-focused space for people who have spent a long time coping, masking, or adapting to expectations, and are now noticing a growing sense that the life they are living no longer quite fits.

This coaching is not about fixing yourself, forcing change, or pushing for productivity. It is about pausing, making sense of where you are, and gently exploring what might feel more aligned, sustainable and true to you.

Many people come to this work after years of “getting on with it,” holding everything together, or trying to meet the needs of everyone else. From the outside, life may appear fine, but internally there can be a quiet disconnection, a sense of flatness, overwhelm, or uncertainty about who you are becoming.

My coaching approach is centred around three gentle stages: Pause → Realign → Rebuild.

Together, we create space to slow down, reconnect with what matters to you now, and begin rebuilding a life that feels more aligned with who you are underneath the coping, not who you were expected to be, and not who you used to be.

Sessions are collaborative, neurodivergent-affirming and paced around your capacity. You do not need to arrive with clear goals or a perfect plan. We begin with where you are, allowing clarity, direction and self-trust to emerge gradually, without pressure or urgency.

This is a space where you can pause, breathe, and be honest about what is really going on beneath the surface. Together, we explore what comes next in a way that honours your nervous system, identity, values and real life.

Coaching supports you to reconnect with what matters to you at this stage of your life.

Many people come to this work feeling flat, uncertain or disconnected from themselves, even when things may look “fine” from the outside. You may have spent years coping, masking, adapting, or meeting the expectations of others, and now find yourself wondering where you fit within your own life.

My coaching approach is centred around three gentle stages: Pause → Realign → Rebuild.

Together, we create space to slow down, reconnect with yourself, and begin rebuilding a life that feels more aligned with who you are now, not who you were expected to be, and not who you needed to become in order to cope.

Sessions are collaborative, neurodivergent-affirming and paced around your capacity. This work is not about forcing change or rushing towards answers, but about creating enough space for your own voice, needs and values to come back into focus.

We may explore:

• What feels draining or misaligned

• What has been shaped by expectation rather than choice

• What matters to you now

• What kind of future feels sustainable and meaningful

Coaching may include optional reflective or creative tools such as gentle prompts, journalling or visual mapping, always offered as invitations rather than requirements.

This is a space where you do not need to perform or present a polished version of yourself. You are welcome exactly as you are, and we begin from there.

Your first session is an initial space to explore what has brought you to coaching, what you are hoping for, and whether this feels like the right kind of support for you.

There is no pressure to arrive with clear goals or to know exactly what you want yet. Many people begin this work feeling unsure, stuck, overwhelmed, or simply aware that something in life no longer feels quite right. We start gently from where you are.

The first session offers space to talk through what feels difficult, draining or misaligned at the moment, and what you may be seeking more of, whether that is clarity, direction, steadiness, confidence, or reconnection with yourself.

My coaching approach is particularly suited to people who feel emotionally stable but stuck, and who are looking for reflective, future-focused support around identity, burnout, life direction, overwhelm or change. Coaching is different from counselling and is generally most appropriate for those wanting support with moving forward, rather than therapeutic support for acute distress or complex mental health difficulties.

At the end of the session, we can gently explore next steps together, at a pace that feels safe, supportive and sustainable for you.