Lyndsay MacAulay

I am a BACP Accredited Counsellor, qualified Clinical Supervisor and trainer specialising in working therapeutically with neurodivergent children, teenagers and adults.

I have extensive experience supporting autistic and ADHD clients, including those who are exploring whether they may be neurodivergent or are coming to understand themselves following a diagnosis.

I particularly specialise in supporting young people experiencing anxiety, emotional overwhelm, difficulties with friendships and relationships, low self-esteem, masking, burnout and emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA).

Many of the young people I work with have experienced difficulties within education, including bullying, unmet needs, sensory overwhelm and feeling misunderstood. These experiences can significantly affect their mental health, confidence and sense of identity.

My approach is person-centred, neuroaffirming and trauma-informed. I recognise that behaviours sometimes interpreted as avoidance, resistance or lack of motivation may reflect overwhelm, executive functioning difficulties, communication differences or experiences of environments that have not met a person's needs.

Alongside my private practice, I have extensive experience providing counselling within schools and specialist services supporting children and young people.

I also teach and develop specialist counselling training, including co-delivering a Level 5 Diploma in Working Therapeutically with Neurodivergence for counsellors and other helping professionals.

My additional training includes working therapeutically with children and young people, trauma, CBT, EMDR, ADHD, autism and eating disorders.

I also bring lived experience to my work, alongside my clinical training and professional experience.

I believe counselling should adapt to the individual, rather than expecting the individual to adapt to a traditional model of therapy.

Sessions are collaborative and can include activities, visual resources, whiteboards, special interests and different ways of communicating. There is no expectation to behave or communicate in a particular way.

For young people, I aim to create a therapeutic relationship where they feel safe, accepted and understood, with opportunities to explore their experiences without pressure to change who they are.

I also work collaboratively with parents and carers where appropriate, helping them understand and support their child's needs while respecting the young person's autonomy and confidentiality.

I offer a 15 minute phone call initially. This helps me understand your needs and goals for counselling and I will explain, how I work in sessions to help you to decide if I’m the right counsellor for you.

During the first session, I will talk through my working agreement, ensuring you understand the process and how confidentiality works within sessions. I will answer any questions you may have and if at that point you wish to proceed, we can sign the Working Agreement to allow the session to begin.

If at the end of the first session, you are happy to proceed, we will make a plan for future sessions.

I am a member of The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and adhere to their Ethical Framework.

As a neurodivergent supervisor, I know how important it is to have a space where you can show up exactly as you are without masking, without over-explaining, and without feeling like you need to fit into a “typical” mould. In our supervision together, your ways of thinking, processing, sensing and relating are not just accepted, but valued. We will work at a pace that feels manageable, build on your strengths, and create a collaborative environment where your neurodivergence is understood as an asset, not something to work around. My aim is for you to feel safe, seen, and supported as both a practitioner and a person, so you can do your best work with authenticity and confidence.

As a neurodivergent supervisor, I know how important it is to have a space where you can show up exactly as you are without masking, without over-explaining, and without feeling like you need to fit into a “typical” mould. In our supervision together, your ways of thinking, processing, sensing and relating are not just accepted, but valued. We will work at a pace that feels manageable, build on your strengths, and create a collaborative environment where your neurodivergence is understood as an asset, not something to work around. My aim is for you to feel safe, seen, and supported as both a practitioner and a person, so you can do your best work with authenticity and confidence.

I aim to create a space where you feel safe, grounded and able to bring the full reality of your caseload — including the parts that feel complex, uncertain or emotionally challenging. My approach is warm, collaborative, reflective, and supportive while still offering gentle challenge where helpful.

I have experience supporting supervisees working with:

Children and young people in schools and community services

Adult clients in both agency settings and private practice

Neurodivergent clients

Trauma, attachment, anxiety, identity development and self-esteem

Families and multi-agency teams

I also understand the unique pressures of therapeutic work including emotional load, boundaries, paperwork, imposter feelings, self-care and building or sustaining private practice, and I support supervisees holistically in their wellbeing and professional growth.

Clients I work with:

Trainee counsellors 

Qualified counsellors 

School-based counsellors 

Supplementary supervision on neurodivergence 

School-based pastoral staff

I offer a free 15-minute call to see whether we feel like a good supervisory fit and to learn a little about your modality, the client groups you work with, and what you’re looking for in supervision.