Laura MacWilliams

I’m a qualified counsellor registered with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy.

I began my career nearly 20 years ago as a Youth Worker in Portsmouth. I subsequently worked in a number of Social care roles, including for Portsmouth Family Intervention Project and Southern Domestic Abuse.

I am client-led which means that I will ask you what you want to work on. Some of my clients arrive with a specific goal in mind, whereas others come to therapy with no clear or fixed outcome; Either is a great start!

We might have general discussions about how you're feeling. We might also talk about things like current and past relationships, your childhood & situations or events that you find challenging.

Try to be kind to yourself if it takes time to get used to having therapy. If you're finding it hard to feel comfortable, it may help to bring this to a session so that we can explore this together. This might feel daunting, but it may help to increase your sense of connection because you've been able to be honest.

It's important not to underestimate the power of expressing oneself and talking through events and concerns that you may not have verbally processed before. But, therapy is more than just a venting session. I am committed to creating and reinforcing hope in the midst of problems. I will assist you in identifying your strengths, and guide you through shifting your problem-focused outlook to one that has more room for hope and opportunity.