Natalie Lockley

I currently have availability during weekdays on a Tuesday and Wednesday, and early evenings during the week. 

Please contact me for my up to date availability.

I'm a counsellor specifically for children and young people, meaning I work with young people from the ages of 5 years up to the age of 24 years. I hold an MSc in counselling children and young people, meaning that I have an extensive knowledge and understanding of the therapeutic skills in working with this age group. I have a great deal of experience with the particular considerations and skills needed to offer therapeutic support to young people. I care deeply about the young people I work with, and work hard to create a trusting and safe therapeutic relationship in which each young person's unique needs can be explored and understood. 

I use an integrative approach to counselling, meaning that I draw on several different counselling theories to adapt and tailor the way I work. I take into account the young person's personality, developmental stage and circumstances to find a meaningful and comfortable way for each individual to explore and express their experiences. I use creative methods as well as play and talking therapies flexibly, adapting the therapy to meet the individuals' needs. This means the young person can use approaches that supports them to communicate and make sense of their experiences in ways that feel  most comfortable and meaningful to them.

I have experience in supporting children and young people with a wide range of challenges. I feel that each young person's experience is unique, even when their challenges may appear similar to those of others.  I will always take time to understand each young person's distinctive internal world, their emotions as well as their behaviours and relationships with others to get a detailed understanding of who they are.  

My aim is to put the young person at the centre of the therapeutic process, while considering the impact of the wider setting and networks around the young person. I have a warm and friendly approach to working with young people, and always strive to create a safe and trusting environment for our work together. I see it as a great privilege to get to know each young person I work with, and to support them to further grow into their potential. 

I believe young people already hold many of the strengths and resources needed to heal and overcome challenging life experiences. My aim is to provide a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship where they can build their self-awareness, enabling young people to live more authentically and make choices based in self-compassion. 

I am available to work in my private practise both during term time and during most school holidays. My private practise is based in a quite and comfortable therapy room in Market Harborough. With consent from the young person's school, as well as from the family of the young person, it can be possible for me to provide counselling sessions in school. I also work in schools in Ruby and Nuneaton as a children and young people's counsellor for the charity The Parenting Project during term time. 

The first session can feel a little daunting. Meeting someone new or starting anything new can feel overwhelming, particularly when we're not sure what to expect. In our first session, my hope is for us to get to know each other a little better and to start to get an idea of what brings you to therapy. I will ask you about how you have experienced life so far, particularly the parts that have felt challenging, as well as how you might like things to feel differently in the future. I also encourage you to ask any questions you have for me, and we can talk about how we might work together over the coming sessions. Where supportive to the therapy of the young person, and with their consent, the family may be involved from to further understand the young person's needs. 

For all clients under the age of 18 years, I offer a free parent/carer phone call to explore your young persons needs and to consider if we are a good match. This allows for us to explore the wider perspective of the family and how we can support the young person collaboratively.