About Alliance Counselling
A little about me
My name is Lesley. I am a qualified counsellor working from Dalkeith and Edinburgh City Centre. I'm a registered member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. I have over 25 years experience of helping people through psychological, relational and social difficulties, in both the Third Sector and NHS, including mental health nursing, support and outreach work, training, development, and management.
About Alliance Counselling
I believe that what is helpful in therapy is something we can discover together. I bring my knowledge, skills and experience to our work together, but I believe you bring important strengths, knowledge and resources of your own. Together we will look to discover and make use of the resources that already exist within you, as well as developing new ones where they may be helpful. My work draws on a number of therapeutic models and theories, which I can go into more detail if you would like to talk things over. Rather than expecting you to fit a particular model, I draw from these different perspectives according to your individual experiences, needs and preferences. I believe that counselling should be flexible and responsive to the person sitting in front of me. It takes courage to reach out and ask for help, especially when it involves sharing with a stranger. You don't have to face your challenges alone.
The type of counselling I offer
I offer a warm, compassionate and non-judgemental space where you can feel heard, understood and able to explore whatever has brought you to counselling. I work from a pluralistic philosophy, which recognises that we are all unique, that we experience and understand the world in our own individual ways, and that there is no single therapeutic approach that will be right for everyone. I recognise that two people experiencing what might appear to be the same difficulty may experience it very differently and seek very different things from therapy. Our personalities, relationships, histories, identities, circumstances and ways of making sense of the world all influence how we experience difficulties and how we find our way through them. I will therefore work collaboratively with you to understand what matters to you and what kind of support feels most useful.
Who I work with
Sometimes people seek counselling because they are experiencing a particular mental health difficulty or experiencing the impact of traumatic experiences; at other times, therapy can offer a valuable space to explore, process or manage difficulties in living, relationships, identity or simply the challenges of being human.
You might find yourself struggling with intrusive thoughts, overwhelming emotions, difficulties in relationships with others, be facing doubts about your sense of self, struggling with confidence or self-worth , or simply finding life harder to navigate than you would like. I offer a space to explore these more deeply, making meaning from them and focusing on what matters most to you.
Whatever brings you to counselling, you don't need to have everything worked out before you begin. We can start wherever you are, at a pace that feels manageable for you. My aim is not to give you a set of answers, but to work alongside you as you develop a deeper understanding of yourself and your experiences, reconnect with your strengths and resources, and find your own way forward towards a life that feels more authentically your own.
Working with Trauma
I have specialist experience of working with people who have experienced domestic abuse and understand the complex, multi-layered and far-reaching ways that abuse and coercive control can affect survivors. If you've experienced domestic abuse, I'm passionate about supporting you to rebuild your life and explore your own truth about who you are, what matters to you and how you want to live now and in the future. I use a trauma-skilled approach at a pace that suits you. When your choices, identity and sense of self have been undermined over time, finding your own voice and reconnecting with who you are can be an important part of recovery. I can support you to explore your own truth about who you are, what matters to you and how you want to live now and in the future.
How therapy with me might look like
I have a particular interest in the ways that power and powerlessness can influence our wellbeing and can contribute to psychological distress. I am interested in the social, relational and personal contexts in which our difficulties develop, and in the ways those experiences shape the stories we hold about ourselves and the world around us. We can explore these stories and beliefs you have developed about yourself and your life, including those that may have been shaped by difficult or painful experiences. Together, we can look at what has happened to you without allowing those experiences to define who you are. We can identify the strengths, skills, values and ways of coping that you already have, and explore how these might be used more fully, alongside developing new ways of coping and responding to life's challenges.
Therapy rooms
The Daisy Room at Newmills Street, Dalkeith
The Glencoe Room, George Street, Edinburgh
I have experience supporting people affected by suicide and self-harm. I understand that these experiences can be extremely difficult to talk about, and I aim to provide a calm, compassionate and non-judgemental space in which you can explore what is happening for you and identify ways of staying safe and finding a way forward.
If you are currently at risk of acting on thoughts to harm yourself, I will gladly work with you, but please do not wait to hear back from me. If you are in current crisis please reach out to:
Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87
Weekdays (Mon–Thu) 6pm–2am; Weekends (Fri 6pm–Mon 6am) 24 hours
The Samaritans on 116 123
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
NHS24 on 111, option 2
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
The counselling model for emotional and mental wellbeing
My experience as a mental health nurse has given me a valuable understanding of the medical model of mental health and the role that diagnosis can play in people's lives. My counselling practice, however, is non-diagnostic. It is influenced by the Power Threat Meaning Framework, which offers a different way of understanding emotional and psychological distress. Rather than asking, "What is wrong with you?", this perspective invites us to consider "What has happened to you?", what sense you have made of those experiences, how they have affected you, and what strengths and resources you have drawn upon to survive and cope.
I cannot offer advice or guidance on diagnosis, assessment or medication. Please contact your GP or local mental health team if you are looking for assessment, diagnosis or a review of your prescription.
