A Shared Journey Towards New Possibilities

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've worked in many roles within the Third Sector, including frontline support, training, development, and management. I am also a registered mental health nurse and I have experience working with both adults and young people in this capacity. I have specialist expertise working with suicide, domestic abuse and adoption-related issues.

About Alliance Counselling

Most of us will experience difficulties at some point in our lives, and seeking support through counselling can be beneficial. Therapy involves talking to a sensitive and skilled listener to support you towards change that is meaningful to you. This could be help processing life events like bereavement, infidelity, job loss, "empty nest", or the end of an important relationship, or it could be managing your internal processes, such as anxiety, depression, anger, self-esteem, inner critic. Or you might want to change the way you relate with others, build your confidence, become more assertive at work, or make significant change to your life in some other way. This relational process of sharing your feelings, thoughts and experiences relies on safety and trust, which needs to develop within the context of a professional relationship. As the name Alliance Counselling suggests, I place the relationship at the heart of our work. 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 work from a pluralistic model of counselling, which means I believe in utilising a variety of therapeutic approaches from the humanistic, psychodynamic and behavioural/cognitive theories, tailored to your unique needs. My work is mainly influenced by Person-Centred Counselling, Narrative Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Psychodynamic influences,  Existential therapy, and Mentalization Based Therapy, although I am informed by others. I am trauma skilled in my practice with considerable experience working with trauma, including domestic abuse. We are all different, and various counselling models will resonate with individuals at different stages of their lives. In practice, this means I will listen attentively to your story, ensure I understand your primary concerns, help you identify your goals and preferences, and agree on a collaborative way of working together that feels most helpful to you. This relational, collaborative approach is central to my practice as a counsellor. I do not typically use written tools or materials, but I can incorporate them into our work in a conversational way.

Collaborative and empowering

Many people turn to therapy when they feel powerless to change their circumstances or way of being in the world. Sometimes we find ourselves trapped in unhelpful patterns and struggle to find an escape. Our difficulties may also stem from how others treat us. I am committed to understanding how various forms of power affect our mental health and believe there is a strong connection between feelings of powerlessness and psychological distress. This perspective is particularly relevant in my work with domestic abuse, but it applies more broadly, especially in today's increasingly divisive society. I will be attentive to signs of power dynamics in your situation and aim to support you in creating a more hopeful, helpful, and empowering way of being. I draw from the Power Threat Meaning Framework for this.