Eleanor Birkett

My availability is:

Winter hours: Mon - Fri, 10am - 5pm

Summer hours: Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm

Hello! My name is Eleanor (she/her), thank you so much for visiting my page. My job is to get to know you as a person, to understand what makes you you, and to accept you for who you are – unconditionally. There may be things going on in your life or your mind that are troubling to you, or you may be living out patterns in your life that may once have served you, but are now restricting you. There may be many conflicting and challenging emotions with which you feel unable to cope. Whether these issues have only recently come to light, or you have been suffering for some time, healing and growth are always possible for everyone. If you feel like this may be true for others, but not yourself, then this is where the work begins.

As a person-centred therapist, I work to create a safe space for you to just be yourself, however you are in that moment, whether that's joyful, excited, tired, angry, sad or scared. I may not be able to promise I have the answers to any experience you are going through, but I can promise to be with you in it. I approach all clients with empathy, honesty, and a sense of valuing you as your own person. For more information about me and my practice, please visit my website www.berkanatherapeutics.com

My practice is entirely online, as I have found that this creates far greater accessibility for clients who would otherwise struggle to attend therapy, while also keeping costs low, without detracting from the quality of therapeutic connection. All sessions take place over Zoom and are 50 minutes long. You will be able to have either regularly scheduled sessions or sessions on an ad hoc basis, where you book yourself into my calendar. I offer concessionary rates to people on no/low income - please message me for more info. 

I hold a Higher National Diploma in Counselling from which I graduated in 2021 and am approaching 2000 hours of clinical experience. I trained while working with people recently released from prison, as well as a spiritual counsellor. As a trauma-informed therapist I work particularly well with those of us who may have experienced trauma in their lives, and understand how to approach this sensitively and empathically while also encouraging healing and re-integration of self. I particularly specialise in working with OCD, especially the ruminative form where obsessions and compulsions are acted out mentally. I work mainly with LGBTQIA+ individuals and take an affirming, radical inclusion, gender deconstructive mindset. I also have much experience working with neurodivergent individuals, such as people on the autism spectrum or with ADHD/ADD. I work integratively, meaning I incorporate different therapeutic modalities to best suit your needs - just as your therapeutic needs are unique, so is your therapeutic experience. This could be Transactional Analysis, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, CBT, somatic therapy, and so on. I have worked with many many wonderful clients who have gone on to flourish in their lives, and from whom I have learned far more than I could ever teach them. 

Prior to the first session, I will send you my information form which includes the guidelines we adhere to in order to ensure therapy is practiced ethically, and includes information about what to expect. This needs to be read and signed before therapy can begin. The first session, like the others, lasts 50 minutes over Zoom and we can use that time to clarify any questions you may have about therapy, working with me, or our guidelines. We can get to know each other a bit more to see if we are a good fit for working together and if you feel comfortable going forward with me. If it feels right to you, you can also help me understand you more by talking about what has brought you to therapy and what you may hope to get out of it.