I'm Shelly, a fully qualified and BACP-accredited integrative counsellor based in North Tyneside.

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I came into counselling because I've always been drawn to supporting people through difficult times. Before becoming a counsellor, I worked in education supporting children and young people, and I found that the emotional and personal side of that work was what I connected with most.

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I've now been practising as a counsellor for several years, supporting adults with a range of difficulties including anxiety, low mood, relationships, confidence, grief, trauma and life changes. I'm also continuing my specialist training in working therapeutically with children and young people.

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I work in an integrative way, which means I don't believe counselling should be one size fits all. Everyone is different, and what helps one person may not feel right for another. I draw on different approaches depending on what you need, while keeping a person-centred approach at the heart of our work.

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For me, counselling is about having a space where you can talk openly without feeling judged or having to pretend that everything is okay. You don't need to have the right words or know exactly where to start. We can take things at your pace and work out together what feels helpful.

I'm particularly interested in areas such as anxiety, self-esteem, people-pleasing and boundaries, attachment and relationship patterns, and the ways our past experiences can sometimes shape how we feel and respond in the present.

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I also use creative approaches where they feel helpful. You don't have to be “good at art” or have any experience with creative activities, they're simply another way of exploring things when talking doesn't quite capture what you're trying to say.

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Most importantly, I want you to feel comfortable being yourself. Counselling isn't about me telling you what to do. It's about working alongside you, helping you make sense of what's going on and finding a way forward that feels right for you.