Grace Pattenden

Mixed availability through the week

Hi, I’m Grace, a psychotherapeutic counsellor based in Berkshire. I work with adults and young people aged 13+, offering a calm, welcoming and safe space where you can talk openly, feel heard, and be met with warmth, care and understanding.

Over the past nine years, I have supported people in schools, crisis services, online platforms and GP surgeries. This has taught me that therapy is not one-size-fits-all. I will take time to get to know you as an individual, understand what has brought you to counselling, and work with you in a way that feels supportive, respectful and genuinely useful.

My approach

My approach is warm, open and deeply empathetic. I believe the relationship between us is at the heart of meaningful therapy. When you feel safe, accepted and not judged, it can become easier to explore the things that feel difficult, confusing or painful.

I draw on person-centred and Gestalt therapy. In simple terms, this means I offer a compassionate space to talk, while also bringing in creative or practical ways of exploring what is happening for you when that feels helpful. We might notice patterns, make space for emotions, explore bodily sensations, or use simple tools to help you understand yourself more clearly. I will always work at your pace, and if I suggest something new, I will explain it clearly and stay alongside you as we try it together.

I take a holistic view of therapy because I believe our emotional, physical and psychological experiences are closely connected. From my own experience of chronic health issues, and from listening to clients over the years, I understand how much the body and mind can affect one another. If anxiety, trauma, stress, pain or exhaustion show up in your body as well as your thoughts and emotions, we can explore this gently together. 

What I can help with

I often work with people experiencing anxiety, trauma, shame, burnout, neurodivergence, identity questions and life transitions. This might include exploring how you feel about yourself, your gender, your sexuality, your relationships, a new diagnosis, your health, or the parts of you that have had to adapt in order to cope.

I am neurodivergent-affirming in my practice, not just on paper. I am late-diagnosed Autistic myself, and I know how powerful it can be to understand yourself with more kindness. I also have personal experience of living with a chronic health condition and ongoing pain, so you will not need to explain the impact of chronic pain, endometriosis or health-related exhaustion from scratch.

If you are looking for longer-term therapy around trauma, shame, identity, neurodivergence, chronic health or the patterns that keep showing up in your life, I may be a good fit for you. I also offer shorter or more focused work if you would like support with nervous system regulation, coping tools, mind-body awareness or a specific area you want to understand better.

What sessions with me look like

Sessions with me are collaborative and led by what feels most useful for you. Sometimes we might talk things through slowly and make sense of what has happened. Sometimes we might focus on what is happening in the present, including your feelings, thoughts, bodily sensations or patterns that keep repeating. At other times, we may use practical tools, psychoeducation (learning) or creative approaches to help you feel more grounded and resourced.

Growth and healing can happen in small steps or big ones, and often at a pace that changes over time. My role is to sit alongside you, support you, and help you build insight, self-awareness and resilience in a way that feels safe enough to be meaningful. 

If something here resonates with you, you’re welcome to book a free 20-minute introductory call so we can gently explore what support might feel right. Taking the first step into counselling can feel big, but you don’t have to do it alone. You can book an introductory call through my listing or email me at hello@growwithgraciecounselling.com 

Mixed availability through the week.

Hi, I’m Grace, a psychotherapeutic counsellor based in Berkshire. I work with adults and young people aged 13+, offering a calm, welcoming and safe space where you can talk openly, feel heard, and be met with warmth, care and understanding.

Over the past nine years, I have supported people in schools, crisis services, online platforms and GP surgeries. This has taught me that therapy is not one-size-fits-all. I will take time to get to know you as an individual, understand what has brought you to counselling, and work with you in a way that feels supportive, respectful and genuinely useful.

My approach

My approach is warm, open and deeply empathetic. I believe the relationship between us is at the heart of meaningful therapy. When you feel safe, accepted and not judged, it can become easier to explore the things that feel difficult, confusing or painful.

I draw on person-centred and Gestalt therapy. In simple terms, this means I offer a compassionate space to talk, while also bringing in creative or practical ways of exploring what is happening for you when that feels helpful. We might notice patterns, make space for emotions, explore bodily sensations, or use simple tools to help you understand yourself more clearly. I will always work at your pace, and if I suggest something new, I will explain it clearly and stay alongside you as we try it together.

I take a holistic view of therapy because I believe our emotional, physical and psychological experiences are closely connected. From my own experience of chronic health issues, and from listening to clients over the years, I understand how much the body and mind can affect one another. If anxiety, trauma, stress, pain or exhaustion show up in your body as well as your thoughts and emotions, we can explore this gently together. 

What I can help with

I often work with people experiencing anxiety, trauma, shame, burnout, neurodivergence, identity questions and life transitions. This might include exploring how you feel about yourself, your gender, your sexuality, your relationships, a new diagnosis, your health, or the parts of you that have had to adapt in order to cope.

I am neurodivergent-affirming in my practice, not just on paper. I am late-diagnosed Autistic myself, and I know how powerful it can be to understand yourself with more kindness. I also have personal experience of living with a chronic health condition and ongoing pain, so you will not need to explain the impact of chronic pain, endometriosis or health-related exhaustion from scratch.

If you are looking for longer-term therapy around trauma, shame, identity, neurodivergence, chronic health or the patterns that keep showing up in your life, I may be a good fit for you. I also offer shorter or more focused work if you would like support with nervous system regulation, coping tools, mind-body awareness or a specific area you want to understand better.

What sessions with me look like

Sessions with me are collaborative and led by what feels most useful for you. Sometimes we might talk things through slowly and make sense of what has happened. Sometimes we might focus on what is happening in the present, including your feelings, thoughts, bodily sensations or patterns that keep repeating. At other times, we may use practical tools, psychoeducation (learning) or creative approaches to help you feel more grounded and resourced.

Growth and healing can happen in small steps or big ones, and often at a pace that changes over time. My role is to sit alongside you, support you, and help you build insight, self-awareness and resilience in a way that feels safe enough to be meaningful. 

If something here resonates with you, you’re welcome to book a free 20-minute introductory call so we can gently explore what support might feel right. Taking the first step into counselling can feel big, but you don’t have to do it alone. You can book an introductory call through my listing or email me at hello@growwithgraciecounselling.com