Working with Schools and Councils
“We want to aim for thriving not just surviving their education.”
When a child is in a persistent state of stress, their brain is focused on survival therefore they are unable to learn and access their education.
What are the benefits of Counselling and Psychotherapy?
There are many groups of children and young people at a high risk of mental health difficulties and trauma:
Autism, ADHD and neurodiversity
7 out of 10 autistic children have a mental health condition. Autistic children may be 28 times more likely to have suicidal ideation or attempts than non-autistic peers (1)
94.3% of school distress were underpinned by significant emotional distress. 92.1% of children experiencing school distress were classified as neurodivergent, and 83.4% as Autistic. With elements of sensory processing difficulties, anxiety and demand avoidance (2)
Autistic children face barriers to mental health support by diagnostic overshadowing (i.e. assuming mental health difficulties are part of autism), lack of up to date knowledge about autism and high assessment thresholds to be seen (3)
Looked after children
It is estimated that 45% of looked after children have a psychiatric diagnosis (4)
A large study showed that childhood trauma affects the brain development particularly in the areas of emotional processing, cognitive processing, bodily processing, memory and learning, and relationships with themselves and others (5)
This research highlights some of the basis of the therapeutic interventions by looking at understanding their emotions and bodies, and their connections and relationships with others.
How can we support your students?
I provide integrative counselling and psychotherapy, this means that the therapy can be tailored to each child and young person, such as humanistic and person-centered, psychoeducation, neuroscience, relational and trauma informed.
I am on the DBS update service and frequent refreshing safeguarding training.
I have a PG Dip in Psychotherapeutic Counselling.
Many years experience of delivering school-based counselling assessments and interventions.
I have a membership with BACP, membership number 00981257
I can work with schools in East Cheshire, Macclesfield, Stockport, South Manchester and the nearby areas
EHCP needs assessment support
I can provide one to one therapeutic interventions with the child or young person in the school. These interventions are evidence-based, following a humanistic approach with a blend of play, creativity and talking therapies tailored for each individual.
EHCP support
Psychotherapeutic interventions can often align with EHCP outcomes particularly for children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs. I can provide one to one therapeutic interventions with the child or young person in the school. These interventions are evidence-based, following a humanistic approach with a blend of play, creativity and talking therapies tailored for each individual.
Autism specific Counselling and Psychotherapy
Being an Autistic counsellor and psychotherapist can be a benefit when working with autistic children and young people as this avoids the double empathy problem of mismatched communication. There have been studies to show benefits of neuro-type matching for autistic individuals which provides better ratings of interpersonal rapport and social interaction styles. (6) (7)
Trauma Informed Counselling and Psychotherapy
Working with children and young people who have experienced trauma involves providing a safe therapeutic space, building a trusting relationship and processing their trauma. Counselling and Psychotherapy helps them to understand themselves, realising their current coping strategies were established to keep them safe and look at creating healthier coping strategies.
Council, EOTAS and Alternate Provision
I have experience of working with Emotionally Based School Avoidance and Autistic Burnout.
2 years of additional training about Autism.
I am on the DBS update service with frequent safeguarding refresher training.
The therapeutic interventions can be provided at the therapy base in Poynton and potentially at the child or young person’s home if they are currently unable to leave the house due to their burnout.
EBSA Counselling
Working with Emotionally Based School Avoidance, School Distress, School Trauma and Burnout, I follow two specific models of practice.
WARMTH Framework, created by Barriers to Education
This stands for
Wellbeing First: focusing on the child or young person’s wellbeing, emotional state and felt safety
Affirming Practice: providing a neuro-affirming approach, fostering acceptance of difference, autonomy and authenticity
Relational Approach: developing a trusting relationship, learning emotional regulation and support needs
Mutual Understanding and Partnership: collaboration with professionals, the child or young person and the family, who’s voices can sometimes feel unheard and devalued despite their inside knowledge
Timely Response: early identification and intervention, mental health support when needed rather than waiting until crisis and specific targeted support
Holistic Support: this provides belonging, multi-agency collaboration, reducing systemic barriers, valuing lived experience and supporting the family stress
P.A.C.E. is a trauma informed model by Dan Hughes, which is rooted in Attachment Theory and Child Development (8) (9)
This stands for
Playfulness
Acceptance
Curiosity
Empathy
This relational approach works on developing trusting relationships, building a sense of safety, emotional regulation and resilience.
References
Connolly, S.E., Constable, H.L. and Mullally, S.L. (2023) School distress and the school attendance crisis: a story dominated by neurodivergence and unmet need. Front Psychiatry, 14:1237052. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1237052
Ashworth, E., Bray, L., Hanlon, C., Stanway, H., Pavlopoulou, G., Moore, D., Donaghy, B., Coen, E., & Firth, E. (2025). ‘Accumulating harm and waiting for crisis’: Parents’ perspectives of accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for their autistic child experiencing mental health difficulties. Autism, 29(8), 2111-2122. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613251335715
Ford, T., Vostanis, P., Meltzer, H., & Goodman, R. (2007). Psychiatric disorder among British children looked after by local authorities: comparison with children living in private households. British Journal of Psychiatry, 190(APR.), 319 - 325. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.106.025023
Ireton, R., et al. (2024). An FMRI Meta-Analysis of Childhood Trauma. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.01.009.
Crompton CJ, Sharp M, Axbey H, Fletcher-Watson S, Flynn EG and Ropar D (2020) Neurotype-Matching, but Not Being Autistic, Influences Self and Observer Ratings of Interpersonal Rapport. Front Psychol. 11:586171. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.586171
Taylor, J. R., & Sims, M. (2025). To understand the experiences of autistic counsellors: A United Kingdom phenomenological study. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 25, e12839. 6 https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12839
Hughes, D.A. & Baylin, J. (2012). Brain-Based Parenting: The Neuroscience of Caregiving for Healthy Attachment. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
Golding, K.S. & Hughes, D.A. (2012). Creating Loving Attachments: Parenting with PACE to Nurture Confidence and Security in the Troubled Child. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Get in Touch
We provide a bespoke package for each school and provision, depending on the amount of children, whether reports are needed and location of travel
