Toni Denton

I currently have limited availability for neurodivergent-affirming coaching sessions, offered online or in person in Leeds (LS14).

My working hours are flexible and I offer some evening appointments where possible. Coaching can be short-term and focused, or longer-term depending on your goals and support needs.

If you would like to book an initial appointment, please email me and I will be happy to arrange a suitable time.

I’m Toni, a qualified counsellor and neurodivergent-affirming coach supporting adults who feel stuck, burnt out, misaligned, or unsure what comes next.

Alongside counselling, I offer Meaning and Direction Coaching, a reflective, future-focused space for people who have spent a long time coping, masking, or adapting to expectations, and are now feeling a growing sense that the life they are living no longer quite fits.

This coaching is not about fixing yourself, pushing for productivity, or forcing change. It is about pausing, making sense of where you are, and gently exploring what might feel more aligned, sustainable, and true to you.

Many people come to this work after years of “getting on with it,” holding things together, or trying to meet the needs of everyone else. From the outside, life may look fine, but internally there can be a quiet disconnection, a sense of flatness, overwhelm, or uncertainty about who you are becoming.

Meaning and Direction Coaching offers space to slow down and reconnect with what matters to you now, not who you were expected to be, not who you used to be, but who you are underneath the coping.

Sessions are collaborative, neurodivergent-affirming, and paced around your capacity. You do not need to have clear goals or a perfect plan. We begin with where you are, and allow clarity and direction to emerge gradually, without urgency or pressure.

This is a space where you can take a breath, be honest about what is really going on, and explore what comes next in a way that honours your nervous system, your identity, and your real life.

Meaning and Direction Coaching supports you to reconnect with what matters to you at this stage of your life.

Many people come to this work feeling flat, uncertain, or disconnected from themselves, even if things look “fine” from the outside. You may have spent years coping, masking, or meeting expectations, and now find yourself wondering where you fit within your own life.

You might know something needs to change, without knowing what that change should be. You may feel stuck between who you have been and who you are becoming, unsure what direction feels right, or simply tired of living on autopilot.

In sessions, we take time to explore:

• Where you are now, and how you got here

• What feels draining, outdated, or misaligned

• What has been shaped by expectation rather than choice

• What matters to you now, not who you used to be

• What kind of future feels possible without abandoning yourself

This work is not about rushing toward answers or setting rigid goals. Often, it is about creating enough space for your own voice, needs, and values to come back into focus.

My approach is humanistic, neurodivergent-affirming, and needs-led. Sessions are collaborative, paced gently, and grounded in both professional training and lived understanding. We work in a way that honours your capacity, nervous system, and real life, especially if you are managing burnout, parenting demands, or long-term overwhelm.

Coaching may include optional reflective or creative tools such as values exercises, gentle prompts, or visual mapping. These are always offered as invitations, not requirements, and are used to support clarity and self-understanding, not analysis or performance.

This is a space where you do not need to perform, explain yourself perfectly, or present a polished version of who you are. You are welcome exactly as you are, and we begin from there.

Your first session is an initial appointment to explore what has brought you to coaching, what you are hoping for, and whether this feels like the right kind of support for you.

There is no pressure to arrive with clear goals or to know exactly what you want yet. Many people begin feeling unsure, stuck, or simply aware that something needs to shift. We start gently from where you are.

The first session offers space to talk through what feels misaligned or difficult at the moment, and what you are seeking more of, whether that is clarity, direction, steadiness, or reconnection with yourself.

Meaning and Direction Coaching is most suitable for people who feel stable but stuck, and who want space for reflection, identity exploration, and future-focused support, rather than therapeutic support for acute distress or complex mental health difficulties.

At the end of the session, we can agree next steps together, at a pace that feels safe, supportive, and sustainable for you.

I offer a warm, relational space where you can show up just as you are. Whether you are feeling stuck, overwhelmed, anxious, burnt out or simply aware that something is not right, I will meet you with honesty, care and curiosity. My approach is grounded, human and collaborative. I believe change happens when you feel safe enough to slow down, explore what sits beneath the surface and begin to understand yourself in a new way.

Clients come to me with many experiences, including anxiety, low self esteem, people pleasing, past trauma, grief, emotional overwhelm, relationship patterns, parenting struggles, identity questions and that feeling of being lost or disconnected from yourself. You do not need to have everything figured out. Together, we gently untangle the thoughts, feelings and patterns that may be keeping you stuck so you can reconnect with who you are and what matters to you.

A big part of my work is supporting neurodivergent adults and parents. My interest in ADHD and Autism is shaped by lived experience as well as training. Both my daughter and I were diagnosed later in life, so I understand how confusing and validating that process can be. Many neurodivergent clients tell me they have felt misunderstood or expected to fit into boxes that do not reflect who they are. My space welcomes your communication style, pacing, sensory needs and unique way of processing.

Alongside therapy, I offer coaching for people who feel ready to focus on change, goals and practical next steps. Coaching explores what is getting in the way, what you want next and how to take meaningful actions forward. It can be helpful for neurodivergent clients who struggle with executive functioning, confidence, overwhelm or transitions. I am completing ICF accredited training to ensure my coaching is ethical and aligned with recognised standards.

Some clients work with me for therapy, some for coaching and some move between the two.

I offer both face-to-face sessions from my cosy garden office in East Leeds, as well as remote sessions via video call or telephone — whichever feels more comfortable and convenient for you.

My approach is integrative, which means I draw from different methods depending on your needs, rather than using a one-size-fits-all model. I work relationally and person-centred, placing real importance on the connection between us. You are the expert in your own life, and my role is to walk alongside you with empathy, honesty and curiosity.

While counselling often focuses on what’s happening in the present, we may also explore earlier life experiences, such as childhood or past relationships, if it feels helpful. Looking at these moments with care can help us understand where certain patterns or blocks have come from — and how to gently shift them.

Clients come to me for many reasons — from anxiety, people pleasing and low self-worth, to relationship difficulties, parenting struggles, neurodivergence, grief, trauma and feeling stuck. I also offer the Rewind Technique, a gentle and non-intrusive way to work with traumatic memories without needing to talk through them in detail.

I have a special interest in ADHD and Autism, shaped by both professional experience and my own personal journey. I understand the impact of late diagnosis, identity struggles and the challenges of parenting neurodivergent children, and bring deep empathy into this work.

I am an approved provider with Bupa, AXA, Aviva, Cigna and Vitality Health. If you’re using private health insurance, please check your policy to confirm mental health cover and any referral or excess requirements.

Whatever brings you here, I aim to offer a calm, non-judgemental space where you can feel seen, supported and empowered to move forward.

Your relationship with your counsellor is unique and unlike any other. I believe it’s important to find someone you feel comfortable with — someone you can be open with, without fear of judgement. The first session is a chance for us to meet, explore what’s brought you to counselling, and see if we feel like a good fit to work together.

Sessions last 50 minutes. There’s no obligation to continue after the first session — many people use it as a space to ask questions and get a feel for how I work. If we decide to continue, sessions are usually weekly to begin with. This helps us build trust and consistency. Over time, some clients choose to move to fortnightly sessions depending on their needs and what feels manageable.

The first session is an opportunity to talk through what’s going on for you right now, what you’d like support with, and anything that feels important to share. I may ask a few gentle questions to get to know you better and to understand what you hope to gain from therapy.

I understand that the first step is often the hardest — but also the most important. I’m here to walk alongside you at your pace, and support you in whatever you’re facing.