Nicola Forshaw

Has your life turned out differently than you imagined? Perhaps you're hoping for change — in your relationships, or in how you feel day to day. Or maybe you're weighed down by anxiety, stress, or a sense of being stuck.

Welcome, I'm Nicola (she/her), a qualified integrative counsellor with experience in the charity sector, NHS, and private practice.

Many people who come to see me have been carrying their difficulties alone — feeling exhausted or overwhelmed from pushing on through. 

I support people through life transitions and difficulties in relationships, as well as quieter, more persistent inner struggles: self-doubt, anxiety and the sense of not feeling quite good enough, or somehow too much. I also support people who are exploring aspects of their identity, including sexuality, gender and neurodivergence.

I believe we're not meant to struggle alone. My hope is to give you a supportive space to move through your difficulties in a way that feels meaningful to you.

Training and qualifications: I'm a registered BACP member working within their ethical framework, with regular supervision, professional insurance, and CPD. 

My qualifications include: CPCAB Level 4 in Therapeutic Counselling, a Certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling, and training as a Trauma-Informed Practitioner. 

I'm currently studying: CPCAB Level 5 in Attachment-Based Psychotherapy — training that informs how I support you in understanding yourself, and in building more fulfilling connections with family, friends, partners, and yourself.

Completed CPD: attachment, self-compassion, working with shame, family estrangement, relational trauma, adapting therapy for neurodivergent adults, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, as well as training with MindOut, Mermaids, and Stonewall.

Sessions: sessions are 50 minutes and take place online via Zoom. I work with clients across the UK. We can work together long-term or short-term, depending on what feels right for you, and I welcome returning clients.

Getting started: I offer a free 20-minute introductory conversation via Zoom. It's a chance to discuss what's going on for you, ask any questions you may have, and see if working together feels like a good fit. There's no obligation to continue after our initial conversation — what matters most is that it feels right for you.

Getting in touch: I hope my profile and website have given you a sense of whether counselling with me feels like a good fit. If you'd like to take that next step, you're welcome to get in touch via my website or through the contact form on this profile. I aim to reply within 24 hours (Monday-Friday), and I look forward to hearing from you.

We can begin with a free 20-minute introductory conversation via Zoom, giving you a chance to share a little about what's brought you to counselling and to see if working together feels like a good fit. From there, we can arrange our first full session.

In our first session, we'll go through the therapeutic agreement together and we'll talk about what you're hoping to get from our work together. There will be space for you to ask anything you'd like to know about how I work. We will begin to explore your difficulties together.