Rachel Chapman

I offer face-to-face counselling sessions from a peaceful and private garden room in Southport, conveniently located between Birkdale and Ainsdale and just a short drive from Formby.

For those who prefer the flexibility of accessing support from home, I also offer online counselling sessions.

I work with adults, teenagers and young people, providing both short-term and longer-term therapy depending on your individual needs.

Appointments are available on selected weekdays, with daytime and limited evening availability. Please contact me for current availability.

I understand that life can be busy, and I aim to offer appointments that fit around work, education and family commitments wherever possible.

If you are unsure whether counselling is right for you, I would be happy to answer any questions you may have before booking.

Hello, I'm Rachel, and welcome to Lotus Counselling Therapy. 🪷

Perhaps you're feeling anxious, overwhelmed, stuck, or exhausted from trying to keep everything together. Maybe you're struggling with low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, grief, parenting pressures, fertility challenges, or simply a sense that life feels harder than it should right now.

Whatever has brought you here, you don't have to face it alone.

I offer a warm, supportive and non-judgemental space where you can talk openly about whatever is going on for you. Clients often tell me they feel relieved to have a space where they don't have to hold everything together or pretend they're OK.

I am a qualified Person-Centred Experiential Counsellor. My approach is grounded in the belief that you are the expert on your own life. Rather than telling you what to do, I will walk alongside you with curiosity and compassion, helping you better understand yourself and make sense of your experiences.

My approach is enriched by additional training in Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) and Solution Focused Therapy, allowing me to support each client in a way that feels individual and meaningful to them.

Alongside my private practice, I work as a counsellor within a local high school and have specialist training and experience in supporting children and young people. I work with both adults and young people, and have experience supporting clients with anxiety, low mood, self-esteem difficulties, relationship challenges, grief, trauma, neurodivergence, school-related concerns and life transitions.

Before becoming a therapist, I spent many years helping people navigate journeys across the world through my work in the airline industry. Today, I have the privilege of walking alongside people as they navigate their inner world.

I offer a warm, supportive and non-judgemental space where you can talk openly about whatever is going on for you.

As a Person-Centred Experiential Counsellor, I believe that you are the expert on your own life. My role is not to tell you what to do, give advice or judge your choices. Instead, I work alongside you, helping you explore your thoughts, feelings and experiences with curiosity and compassion.

Many people come to counselling feeling overwhelmed, anxious, stuck or unsure of themselves. Others may be coping with grief, trauma, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, fertility challenges, parenting pressures or significant life changes. Whatever has brought you to therapy, we can begin by exploring what feels most important to you.

I understand that talking about emotions can sometimes feel uncomfortable or unfamiliar. There is no pressure to share more than feels right, and we can work at a pace that feels comfortable for you.

My approach is grounded in Person-Centred Experiential Therapy and enriched by additional training in Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) and Solution Focused Therapy. This additional training has broadened my understanding of how people experience and make sense of their emotions, helping me to support each client in a way that feels individual and meaningful to them.

I work with both adults and young people, adapting sessions to suit the individual. With teenagers and younger clients, this may include creative approaches such as drawing, imagery, clay work or therapeutic sand tray, alongside talking therapy.

At the heart of my work is the therapeutic relationship. I believe that when people feel genuinely heard, understood and accepted, they are better able to connect with themselves, process difficult experiences and move towards meaningful change.

Therapy is not about fixing you. It is about creating a space where you can understand yourself more fully and find a way forward that feels right for you.

Reaching out for support can feel like a big step, and it's completely natural to feel nervous about meeting a counsellor for the first time.

I offer a free introductory call, giving us the opportunity to briefly discuss what has brought you to counselling, answer any questions you may have, and see whether working together feels like a good fit.

If you decide to book a first session, there is no pressure to know exactly what to say or where to begin. We can start wherever you are.

The first session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another and begin exploring what is bringing you to therapy. You are welcome to share as much or as little as feels comfortable.

My aim is to create a safe, relaxed and accepting environment where you feel heard and understood. Together, we can begin to explore your experiences, make sense of difficult emotions, and consider what you hope to gain from counselling.

Many people tell me they feel a sense of relief after taking that first step and having a space that is entirely their own.

Finding the right counsellor is important, and I welcome the opportunity to help you decide whether I am the right person to support you on your journey.

Specialist therapy for pilots and airline crew, from someone who understands.

I spent 21 years flying long haul as cabin crew before retraining as a therapist. I know the realities of the job: early starts, jet lag, time away from home, passenger pressures, performance monitoring, and the constant expectation to stay calm and composed no matter what’s happening. You won’t need to explain roster fatigue, Galley FM, difficult passengers, or the pressures of a highly pressurised environment, I genuinely get it.

Now, as a Person-Centred Experiential therapist, I offer a confidential, supportive space for crew and pilots to talk openly with someone who understands both the culture of aviation and its emotional impact. I’m mindful of the fears many crew have around stigma or potential career implications. While EAPs can be helpful, it often feels more comfortable to seek support completely separate from your company.

Therapy with me is a space where you don’t have to be the strong one, the calm one, or the responsible one. It’s just for you - to reset, reflect, and strengthen your wellbeing in a way that feels sustainable.

I am a qualified counsellor with a First-Class degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy, combining professional training with lived experience of the aviation lifestyle.

I specialise in supporting pilots and airline crew, alongside people facing a wide range of emotional and life challenges. My work is grounded in a Person-Centred Experiential approach, meaning therapy is shaped around you - your pace, your needs, and your experience.

I have particular experience supporting perinatal women and have carried out research in this area. I understand how complex this period can be - emotionally, physically, and practically. For those returning to flying after maternity leave, balancing parenting, unpredictable rosters, guilt, exhaustion, and identity shifts can be intense. This is a space where mixed feelings can be spoken about openly and without judgement.

I also work with relationship and family difficulties. Flying can strain partnerships, co-parenting, and extended family dynamics. Together, we explore communication patterns, conflict, disconnection, or quiet resentments that build when life feels out of balance.

In airline crew roles, pressure around appearance can be intense. Constant visibility, uniform standards, and comparison can affect your relationship with food, your body, and your self-worth. I offer a grounded, compassionate space to untangle these pressures and feel more at ease in yourself.

Grief and loss (recent or long past) are very much part of my work, including bereavement, relationship endings, pregnancy loss, and other significant life changes. I am also experienced in supporting survivors of sexual assault and rape, always working with sensitivity and ensuring you remain in control of the pace and depth of what we explore.

Alongside my Person-Centred approach, I am trained in Solution-Focused Therapy, so we can integrate practical, forward-looking work - identifying strengths, clarifying goals, and taking realistic steps toward change. Therapy can be short-term or longer-term, depending on what feels right for you.

All sessions are online, so we can work together wherever you are in the UK, around your schedule and roster. Before we meet, I’ll email you my therapy agreement to read and return. Payment can be made by bank transfer before the session.

In our first session, we’ll explore what you’d like support with and what you hope might feel different. There’s no pressure to explain everything perfectly or share more than feels comfortable. We go at your pace.

As a Person-Centred Experiential therapist, I won’t analyse you or tell you what you should be doing. I listen carefully and without judgement, helping you make sense of what’s happening beneath the surface - whether that’s anxiety, burnout, disrupted sleep, relationship strain, low mood, loss, or something harder to put into words.

If it’s helpful, we can draw on Solution-Focused Therapy to bring in practical, forward-looking work - identifying strengths, clarifying goals, and taking realistic steps toward change.

We can work short-term around a specific issue or longer-term for deeper exploration. We’ll review regularly to ensure the work continues to meet your needs.

I understand how unpredictable rosters can be, so I offer flexibility and can arrange sessions week by week.

** Please note: I can only provide therapy while you are physically in the UK due to legal and regulatory requirements. **

Specialist therapy for pilots and airline crew, from someone who understands.

I spent 21 years flying long haul as cabin crew before retraining as a therapist. I know the realities of the job: early starts, jet lag, time away from home, passenger pressures, performance monitoring, and the constant expectation to stay calm and composed no matter what’s happening. You won’t need to explain rosters, fatigue, Galley FM, difficult passengers, or the stress of working in a literally pressurised environment! I genuinely get it.

Now, as a Person-Centred Experiential therapist, I offer a confidential, supportive space for crew and pilots to talk openly with someone who understands both the culture of aviation and its emotional impact. I’m mindful of the fears many crew have around stigma or potential career implications. While EAPs can be helpful, it often feels more comfortable to seek support completely separate from your company.

Therapy with me is a space where you don’t have to be the strong one, the calm one, or the responsible one. It’s just for you - to reset, reflect, and strengthen your wellbeing in a way that feels sustainable.

I am a qualified counsellor with a First-Class degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy, combining professional training with lived experience of the aviation lifestyle.

I specialise in supporting pilots and airline crew, alongside people facing a wide range of emotional and life challenges. My work is grounded in a Person-Centred Experiential approach, meaning therapy is shaped around you - your pace, your needs, and your experience.

I have particular experience supporting perinatal women and have carried out research in this area. I understand how complex this period can be - emotionally, physically, and practically. For those returning to flying after maternity leave, balancing parenting, unpredictable rosters, guilt, exhaustion, and identity shifts can be intense. This is a space where mixed feelings can be spoken about openly and without judgement.

I also work with relationship and family difficulties. Flying can strain partnerships, co-parenting, and extended family dynamics. Together, we explore communication patterns, conflict, disconnection, or quiet resentments that build when life feels out of balance.

In airline crew roles, pressure around appearance can be intense. Constant visibility, uniform standards, and comparison can affect your relationship with food, your body, and your self-worth. I offer a grounded, compassionate space to untangle these pressures and feel more at ease in yourself.

Grief and loss (recent or long past) are very much part of my work, including bereavement, relationship endings, pregnancy loss, and other significant life changes. I am also experienced in supporting survivors of sexual assault and rape, always working with sensitivity and ensuring you remain in control of the pace and depth of what we explore.

Alongside my Person-Centred approach, I am trained in Solution-Focused Therapy, so we can integrate practical, forward-looking work - identifying strengths, clarifying goals, and taking realistic steps toward change. Therapy can be short-term or longer-term, depending on what feels right for you.

All sessions are online, so we can work together wherever you are in the UK, around your schedule and roster. Before we meet, I’ll email you my therapy agreement to read and return. Payment can be made by bank transfer before the session.

In our first session, we’ll explore what you’d like support with and what you hope might feel different. There’s no pressure to explain everything perfectly or share more than feels comfortable. We go at your pace.

As a Person-Centred Experiential therapist, I won’t analyse you or tell you what you should be doing. I listen carefully and without judgement, helping you make sense of what’s happening beneath the surface - whether that’s anxiety, burnout, disrupted sleep, relationship strain, low mood, loss, or something harder to put into words.

If it’s helpful, we can draw on Solution-Focused Therapy to bring in practical, forward-looking work - identifying strengths, clarifying goals, and taking realistic steps toward change.

We can work short-term around a specific issue or longer-term for deeper exploration. We’ll review regularly to ensure the work continues to meet your needs.

I understand how unpredictable rosters can be, so I offer flexibility and can arrange sessions week by week.

** Please note: I can only provide therapy while you are physically in the UK due to legal and regulatory requirements. **