Emily Bowder

My passion is supporting people navigating life transitions. Whether you’re experiencing a shift in your career, education or relationships, moving through a challenging season of life, or feeling those first stirrings, restlessness, dissatisfaction, anxiety, that signal change on the horizon, I’m here for you.

Times of change can be incredibly unsettling, particularly for sensitive and neurodivergent individuals. When our foundations shift, it is common to feel overwhelmed by anxiety, imposter feelings, and obsessive/ intrusive thoughts. Underneath these struggles can lie a heavy weight of shame, often carried since childhood, which affects how comfortable we feel with others and how safe we feel in our skin.

To make sense of these feeling we can unconsciously tell negative or limiting stories about ourselves—which assume, for whatever reason, we can’t, or aren't allowed to be, truly happy, successful, or at ease. We can also protect ourselves through automatic habits: numbing out on the internet, drinking, over-eating, or people-pleasing/ hiding behind a social mask. Slowly we can lose touch with who we are and the life we want for ourselves.

If you’re feeling stuck in these cycles, I offer you a warm, down-to-earth, and emotionally accessible space. Together, we will build your self-compassion, unpack emotional knots, and gently rewrite limiting narratives. My ultimate goal is to help you move away from automatic coping strategies and find your power, so you can become more intentional in your days, shed inherited shame, and feel genuinely at peace in your own skin.

With an Oxford DPhil in Religious Studies (Hindu/Buddhist focus), my practice brings together psychological/ therapeutic training with an openness to existential or spiritual exploration. I gently weave insights from Tibetan Buddhism and Quakerism into our work where it feels resonant for you, helping you find grounding and deeper purpose in your life and struggles. 

I work relationally, using the relationship we build together as a mirror for insight, healing, and growth. My approach brings together awareness of internal thoughts and felt experience, while supporting and championing your executive function and ability to make positive changes.

- Deep listening: I want to hear your struggles, hopes and fears, and give you space to think and feel whatever’s here. I’ll never advise you, but will support you to think around an issue to find perspective and possibilities.

- Embodied Awareness (Gestalt & Focusing): When your mind is racing or you feel the urge to numb out, we can practice slowing down and feeling the physical sensations behind the thoughts. I will help you safely listen to what your body is carrying, particularly where old shame is stored.

- Tending to Your Parts & Stories (IFS):, we can look at the parts of you that might be holding onto childhood shame or limiting assumptions about yourself or future. We can gently get to know and look after these "clanging" parts—whether that’s an inner critic that beats you up for not being enough, or a protector that uses scrolling, alcohol, or people-pleasing to keep you safe.

- Proactive Coaching: we can integrate practical coaching tools to provide structured support and challenge limiting beliefs, so you can get clear about what you want and the steps you need to take to get it.

Who I Work With

- Neurodivergent & Highly Sensitive Individuals: Supporting people who experience the world intensely, and struggle with the executive, emotional, or sensory overload that transitions can trigger.

- Students, Young People & Adult learners: Extensive experience supporting international students, boarders, adult learners, and university students navigating academic anxiety, perfectionism, and personal growth.

- FE & HE Professionals: I draw on over a decade of personal experience as a teacher and lecturer in Further and Higher Education to support staff experiencing workplace, career, or systemic shifts.

- Men: Men often feel comfortable speaking with me. Particularly those who suspect they might be neurodivergent, or have struggled with feeling “too much” or “not enough”.

If you don’t fit into any of these categories, please still feel free to reach out!

Qualifications & Background

- Diploma in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy (Specialising in Relational Gestalt and Person-Centred approaches)

- BFA Foundation Certificate in Focusing (British Focusing Association)

- IFS Immersion Training (Internal Family Systems)

- DPhil in Religious Studies (Hindu/Buddhist focus) – University of Oxford

- 10+ years of teaching and lecturing experience in FE and HE

- Specialist Mentor for uni students with Mental Health and ASC

- Coaching Certificate

• Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

Practical Details & Fees

Session format: Currently Online (Secure Video Call) or Telephone only

Session length: 60 minutes

Standard Rate: £65 per hour

Concession Rate: £45 per hour (Available for students and anyone currently struggling financially)

Next steps: 

Please send me an email to arrange a free, brief introductory chat so we can see if this feels a good fit for you.

My passion is supporting people navigating life transitions. Whether you’re experiencing a shift in your career, education, or relationships; moving through a challenging season of life; or feeling those first stirrings of restlessness, dissatisfaction, or anxiety that signal change on the horizon, I’m here for you.

Times of change can be incredibly unsettling, particularly for sensitive and neurodivergent individuals. When our foundations shift, it is common to feel overwhelmed by anxiety, imposter feelings, and obsessive or intrusive thoughts. Underneath these struggles can lie a heavy weight of shame, often carried since childhood, which affects how comfortable we feel with others and how safe we feel in our skin.

To make sense of these feelings, we can unconsciously tell negative or limiting stories about ourselves—which assume, for whatever reason, we can’t, or aren't allowed to be, truly happy, successful, or at ease. We can also protect ourselves through automatic habits: numbing out on the internet, drinking, over-eating, or people-pleasing and hiding behind a social mask. Slowly, we can lose touch with who we are and the life we want for ourselves.

If you’re feeling stuck in these cycles, I offer you a warm, down-to-earth, and emotionally accessible space. Together, we will build your self-compassion, unpack emotional knots, and gently rewrite limiting narratives. My ultimate goal is to help you move away from automatic coping strategies and find your power, so you can become more intentional in your days, shed inherited shame, and feel genuinely at peace in your own skin.

With an Oxford DPhil in Religious Studies (Hindu/Buddhist focus), my practice brings together psychological and therapeutic training with an openness to existential or spiritual exploration. I gently weave insights from Tibetan Buddhism and Quakerism into our work where it feels resonant for you, helping you find grounding and deeper purpose in your life and struggles.

I work relationally, using the relationship we build together as a mirror for insight, healing, and growth. My approach brings together awareness of internal thoughts and felt experience, while supporting and championing your executive function and ability to make positive changes:

- Deep Listening: I want to hear your struggles, hopes, and fears, giving you space to think and feel whatever is here. I will never advise you, but I will support you to think around an issue to find fresh perspective and possibilities.

- Embodied Awareness (Gestalt & Focusing): When your mind is racing or you feel the urge to numb out, we can practice slowing down and feeling the physical sensations behind the thoughts. Supported by my BFA Foundation Certificate in Focusing, I will help you safely listen to what your body is carrying, particularly where old shame is stored.

- Tending to Your Parts & Stories (IFS): Guided by my IFS Immersion training, we can look at the parts of you that might be holding onto childhood shame or limiting assumptions about yourself or your future. We can gently get to know and look after these "clanging" parts—whether that’s an inner critic that beats you up for not being enough, or a protector that uses scrolling, alcohol, or people-pleasing to keep you safe.

- Proactive Coaching: We can integrate practical coaching tools to provide structured support and challenge limiting beliefs, so you can get clear about what you want and the steps you need to take to get it.

Who I Work With:

- Neurodivergent & Highly Sensitive Individuals: Supporting people who experience the world intensely and struggle with the executive, emotional, or sensory overload that transitions can trigger.

- Students, Young People & Adult Learners: Extensive experience supporting international students, boarders, adult learners, and university students navigating academic anxiety, perfectionism, and personal growth.

- FE & HE Professionals: I draw on over a decade of personal experience as a teacher and lecturer in Further and Higher Education to support staff experiencing workplace, career, or systemic shifts.

- Men: Men often feel comfortable speaking with me—particularly those who suspect they might be neurodivergent, or have struggled with feeling “too much” or “not enough”.

If you don’t fit into any of these categories, please still feel free to reach out!

Qualifications & Background

- Diploma / Training in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy (Specialising in Relational Gestalt and Person-Centred approaches)

- BFA Foundation Certificate in Focusing (British Focusing Association)

- IFS Immersion Training (Internal Family Systems)

- DPhil in Religious Studies (Hindu/Buddhist focus) – University of Oxford

- 10+ years of teaching and lecturing experience in FE and HE

- Specialist Mentor for university students with Mental Health and AC conditions

- Coaching Certificate

-  Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

Practical Details & Fees:

- Session format: Currently Online (Secure Video Call) or Telephone only

- Session length: 60 minutes

- Standard Rate: £65 per hour

- Concession Rate: £45 per hour (Available for students and anyone currently struggling financially)

Next steps: Please send me an email to arrange a free, brief introductory chat so we can see if this feels like a good fit for you.

My passion is supporting people navigating life transitions. Whether you’re experiencing a shift in your career, education or relationships, moving through a challenging season of life, or feeling those first stirrings, restlessness, dissatisfaction, anxiety, that signal change on the horizon, I’m here for you.

Times of change can be incredibly unsettling, particularly for sensitive and neurodivergent individuals. When our foundations shift, it is common to feel overwhelmed by anxiety, imposter feelings, and obsessive/ intrusive thoughts. Underneath these struggles can lie a heavy weight of shame, often carried since childhood, which affects how comfortable we feel with others and how safe we feel in our skin.

To make sense of these feeling we can unconsciously tell negative or limiting stories about ourselves—which assume, for whatever reason, we can’t, or aren't allowed to be, truly happy, successful, or at ease. We can also protect ourselves through automatic habits: numbing out on the internet, drinking, over-eating, or people-pleasing/ hiding behind a social mask. Slowly we can lose touch with who we are and the life we want for ourselves.

If you’re feeling stuck in these cycles, I offer you a warm, down-to-earth, and emotionally accessible space. Together, we will build your self-compassion, unpack emotional knots, and gently rewrite limiting narratives. My ultimate goal is to help you move away from automatic coping strategies and find your power, so you can become more intentional in your days, shed inherited shame, and feel genuinely at peace in your own skin.

With an Oxford DPhil in Religious Studies (Hindu/Buddhist focus), my practice brings together psychological/ therapeutic training with an openness to existential or spiritual exploration. I gently weave insights from Tibetan Buddhism and Quakerism into our work where it feels resonant for you, helping you find grounding and deeper purpose in your life and struggles. 

I work relationally, using the relationship we build together as a mirror for insight, healing, and growth. My approach brings together awareness of internal thoughts and felt experience, while supporting and championing your executive function and ability to make positive changes.

- Deep listening: I want to hear your struggles, hopes and fears, and give you space to think and feel whatever’s here. I’ll never advise you, but will support you to think around an issue to find perspective and possibilities.

- Embodied Awareness (Gestalt & Focusing): When your mind is racing or you feel the urge to numb out, we can practice slowing down and feeling the physical sensations behind the thoughts. I will help you safely listen to what your body is carrying, particularly where old shame is stored.

- Tending to Your Parts & Stories (IFS): we can look at the parts of you that might be holding onto childhood shame or limiting assumptions about yourself or future. We can gently get to know and look after these "clanging" parts—whether that’s an inner critic that beats you up for not being enough, or a protector that uses scrolling, alcohol, or people-pleasing to keep you safe.

- Proactive Coaching: we can integrate practical coaching tools to provide structured support and challenge limiting beliefs, so you can get clear about what you want and the steps you need to take to get it.

Who I Work With:

- Neurodivergent & Highly Sensitive Individuals: Supporting people who experience the world intensely, and struggle with the executive, emotional, or sensory overload that transitions can trigger.

- Students, Young People & Adult learners: Extensive experience supporting international students, boarders, adult learners, and university students navigating academic anxiety, perfectionism, and personal growth.

- FE & HE Professionals: I draw on over a decade of personal experience as a teacher and lecturer in Further and Higher Education to support staff experiencing workplace, career, or systemic shifts.

- Men: Men often feel comfortable speaking with me. Particularly those who suspect they might be neurodivergent, or have struggled with feeling “too much” or “not enough”.

If you don’t fit into any of these categories, please still feel free to reach out!

Qualifications & Background

- Diploma in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy (Specialising in Relational Gestalt and Person-Centred approaches)

- BFA Foundation Certificate in Focusing (British Focusing Association)

- IFS Immersion Training (Internal Family Systems)

- DPhil in Religious Studies (Hindu/Buddhist focus) – University of Oxford

- 10+ years of teaching and lecturing experience in FE and HE

- Specialist Mentor for uni students with Mental Health and ASC

- Coaching Certificate

• Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

Practical Details & Fees

Session format: Currently Online (Secure Video Call) or Telephone only

Session length: 60 minutes

Standard Rate: £65 per hour

Concession Rate: £45 per hour (Available for students and anyone currently struggling financially)

Next steps:

Please send me an email to arrange a free, brief introductory chat so we can see if this feels a good fit for you.

My passion is supporting people navigating life transitions. Whether you’re experiencing a shift in your career, education or relationships, moving through a challenging season of life, or feeling those first stirrings, restlessness, dissatisfaction, anxiety, that signal change on the horizon, I’m here for you.

Times of change can be incredibly unsettling, particularly for sensitive and neurodivergent individuals. When our foundations shift, it is common to feel overwhelmed by anxiety, imposter feelings, and obsessive/ intrusive thoughts. Underneath these struggles can lie a heavy weight of shame, often carried since childhood, which affects how comfortable we feel with others and how safe we feel in our skin.

To make sense of these feeling we can unconsciously tell negative or limiting stories about ourselves—which assume, for whatever reason, we can’t, or aren't allowed to be, truly happy, successful, or at ease. We can also protect ourselves through automatic habits: numbing out on the internet, drinking, over-eating, or people-pleasing/ hiding behind a social mask. Slowly we can lose touch with who we are and the life we want for ourselves.

If you’re feeling stuck in these cycles, I offer you a warm, down-to-earth, and emotionally accessible space. Together, we will build your self-compassion, unpack emotional knots, and gently rewrite limiting narratives. My ultimate goal is to help you move away from automatic coping strategies and find your power, so you can become more intentional in your days, shed inherited shame, and feel genuinely at peace in your own skin.

With an Oxford DPhil in Religious Studies (Hindu/Buddhist focus), my practice brings together psychological/ therapeutic training with an openness to existential or spiritual exploration. I gently weave insights from Tibetan Buddhism and Quakerism into our work where it feels resonant for you, helping you find grounding and deeper purpose in your life and struggles. 

I work relationally, using the relationship we build together as a mirror for insight, healing, and growth. My approach brings together awareness of internal thoughts and felt experience, while supporting and championing your executive function and ability to make positive changes.

- Deep listening: I want to hear your struggles, hopes and fears, and give you space to think and feel whatever’s here. I’ll never advise you, but will support you to think around an issue to find perspective and possibilities.

- Embodied Awareness (Gestalt & Focusing): When your mind is racing or you feel the urge to numb out, we can practice slowing down and feeling the physical sensations behind the thoughts. I will help you safely listen to what your body is carrying, particularly where old shame is stored.

- Tending to Your Parts & Stories (IFS):, we can look at the parts of you that might be holding onto childhood shame or limiting assumptions about yourself or future. We can gently get to know and look after these "clanging" parts—whether that’s an inner critic that beats you up for not being enough, or a protector that uses scrolling, alcohol, or people-pleasing to keep you safe.

- Proactive Coaching: we can integrate practical coaching tools to provide structured support and challenge limiting beliefs, so you can get clear about what you want and the steps you need to take to get it.

 Who I Work With

- Neurodivergent & Highly Sensitive Individuals: Supporting people who experience the world intensely, and struggle with the executive, emotional, or sensory overload that transitions can trigger.

- Students, Young People & Adult learners: Extensive experience supporting international students, boarders, adult learners, and university students navigating academic anxiety, perfectionism, and personal growth.

- FE & HE Professionals: I draw on over a decade of personal experience as a teacher and lecturer in Further and Higher Education to support staff experiencing workplace, career, or systemic shifts.

- Men: Men often feel comfortable speaking with me. Particularly those who suspect they might be neurodivergent, or have struggled with feeling “too much” or “not enough”.

If you don’t fit into any of these categories, please still feel free to reach out!

Qualifications & Background

- Diploma / Training in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy (Specialising in Relational Gestalt and Person-Centred approaches)

- BFA Foundation Certificate in Focusing (British Focusing Association)

- IFS Immersion Training (Internal Family Systems)

- DPhil in Religious Studies (Hindu/Buddhist focus) – University of Oxford

- 10+ years of teaching and lecturing experience in FE and HE

- Specialist Mentor for uni students with Mental Health and ASC 

- Coaching Certificate

• Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

Practical Details & Fees

Session format: Currently Online (Secure Video Call) or Telephone only

Session length: 60 minutes

Standard Rate: £65 per hour

Concession Rate: £45 per hour (Available for students and anyone currently struggling financially)

Next steps: Please send me an email to arrange a free, brief introductory chat so we can see if this feels a good fit for you.