Laura’s Counselling services

Laura’s Counselling services Counsellor (MBACP) and MH mentor in Ravensden, near Bedford. I support adults facing anxiety, low self-worth, trauma or relationship struggles.

In-person, online & phone sessions. Free 20-min call 🌿

The version of you that keeps everyone else warm deserves a fire too. 🤍Sometimes, we become so focused on caring for oth...
07/08/2026

The version of you that keeps everyone else warm deserves a fire too. 🤍

Sometimes, we become so focused on caring for others that we slowly stop noticing our own needs.

We say yes when we mean no.
We make ourselves smaller to keep the peace.
We carry more than our share because it feels easier than disappointing someone.

Over time, this can become so familiar that it feels normal. We begin to believe our value lies in how much we can give, how much we can tolerate, or how much we can carry.

Kindness without boundaries often becomes self-sacrifice.

Boundaries aren’t about pushing people away. They’re about recognising that your needs matter too.

You can be compassionate without abandoning yourself.
You can be caring without carrying everything.
You can love others and still protect your own wellbeing.

If this resonates with you, perhaps it’s time to ask yourself:
When was the last time you gave yourself the same care you so freely offer everyone else?

Because the version of you that has spent so much time keeping everyone else warm deserves warmth too.

💜

Healing isn't about becoming someone new. It's about becoming someone safe.When we've experienced trauma, criticism, neg...
06/08/2026

Healing isn't about becoming someone new. It's about becoming someone safe.

When we've experienced trauma, criticism, neglect, abuse, or environments where love felt conditional, we often learn to survive by abandoning parts of ourselves.

We become the people pleaser.

The perfectionist.

The peacekeeper.

The over-achiever.

The one who never asks for help.

These adaptations aren't flaws—they're evidence of how hard your younger self worked to stay emotionally and physically safe.

But healing begins when the adult version of you starts showing up differently.

✨ When you speak to yourself with kindness instead of criticism.

✨ When you honour your needs instead of ignoring them.

✨ When you set boundaries instead of abandoning yourself to keep others comfortable.

✨ When you allow yourself to rest without guilt.

✨ When you remind yourself, "I am safe now."

Your inner child isn't asking you to erase the past.

They're simply waiting for someone to believe them, protect them, comfort them, and choose them.

That someone is now you.

Healing is often less about fixing what's broken and more about building the safe relationship with yourself that you may never have experienced growing up.

Because eventually, the place you've been searching for in other people becomes the place you create within yourself. ❤️

When someone you love is struggling with addiction, it’s easy to lose yourself trying to save them. 💙You tell yourself y...
26/07/2026

When someone you love is struggling with addiction, it’s easy to lose yourself trying to save them. 💙

You tell yourself you’ll relax once they stop drinking. Once they stop using. Once they answer the phone. Once they’re home safely.

You lie awake wondering where they are. You replay conversations. You make excuses for them. You try to fix, rescue and protect them because the thought of losing them feels unbearable.

Little by little, your life begins to revolve around theirs.

The truth is, addiction doesn’t only affect the person using substances. It reaches every person who loves them.

That’s why recovery isn’t just about the individual. Loved ones often need healing too.

Not because they’ve done anything wrong, but because living alongside addiction can leave you exhausted, anxious, hypervigilant and unsure where your responsibility ends and theirs begins.

Learning about boundaries, codependency and self-care isn’t about loving someone less. It’s about learning to love them without losing yourself.

If we’re going to call addiction a family disease, then families deserve support, compassion and recovery too.

💙 To anyone supporting someone through addiction: I see you. Your pain is real. Your wellbeing matters just as much as theirs.

If this resonates with you, know that you don’t have to navigate it alone.

A week in the office… according to Honey. (The therapy dog in the making) 🐾Photo one: sleeping soundly while I catch up ...
24/07/2026

A week in the office… according to Honey. (The therapy dog in the making) 🐾

Photo one: sleeping soundly while I catch up on the endless admin that comes with running a counselling practice.

Photo two: waiting patiently while I open up the office, let some fresh air in, and enjoy a quiet moment after a busy week with clients.

My counselling room has always been about creating a space that feels calm, safe and welcoming.. for both my clients and, clearly, my four-legged office companion too.

As another week comes to an end, I’m grateful for the conversations I’ve shared, the trust my clients place in me, and these small moments of peace in between.

Wishing everyone a restful weekend. 💚

Moments like this remind me why I became a counsellor. 💛Seeing someone go from feeling lost and doubting themselves to h...
11/07/2026

Moments like this remind me why I became a counsellor. 💛

Seeing someone go from feeling lost and doubting themselves to having confidence, healthy boundaries, and trusting their own instincts is incredibly rewarding.

Thank you to my wonderful client for this beautiful review and for allowing me to be part of your journey. Your words mean more than you know. ✨

I felt incredibly grateful to receive this text earlier this week from a client I finished working with back in March. 💛...
10/07/2026

I felt incredibly grateful to receive this text earlier this week from a client I finished working with back in March. 💛

Moments like this are a reminder of why I do what I do.

Watching someone slowly start to believe in themselves again is something I’ll never take for granted. Seeing them feel lighter, more confident and able to enjoy life again makes every part of this work worthwhile.

It’s a real privilege to be trusted with someone’s story and to witness the changes that happen when they feel truly heard and understood. Knowing they’re out there living the life they deserve is the best reminder of why this work matters.

To every client who has allowed me to walk alongside them… thank you. It is an honour. 🤍

(Image recreated to protect the client’s anonymity.)

What would your younger self want you to know?As children, we make sense of the world with the information and emotional...
08/07/2026

What would your younger self want you to know?

As children, we make sense of the world with the information and emotional safety we have available.

Many of us learned to stay quiet, keep the peace, achieve, care for everyone else, or hide our feelings.. not because there was something wrong with us, but because those behaviours helped us feel safe, accepted, or loved.

The problem is that those survival strategies often follow us into adulthood.

We apologise for having needs.
We struggle to say no.
We mistake self-sacrifice for kindness.
We fear rejection if we show who we really are.

Healing isn’t about blaming the past.

It’s about recognising that the younger version of you adapted in the best way they could, and gently letting them know they don’t have to keep surviving in the same way.

Sometimes, one of the most powerful therapeutic questions is:

“What does my younger self need from me today?”

Maybe it’s rest.
Maybe it’s protection.
Maybe it’s permission to take up space.
Maybe it’s simply hearing the words they needed all along:

“I’ve got you now.”

💛 If this resonated with you, take a moment today to think about what your younger self might still be waiting to hear.

Last night I finally got to see Alanis Morissette live.As I stood there singing every word, I realised just how much her...
05/07/2026

Last night I finally got to see Alanis Morissette live.

As I stood there singing every word, I realised just how much her music shaped me growing up. She gave a voice to anger, vulnerability, resilience and the refusal to stay silent. Looking back, I think she helped shape the stubbornness and strength that has carried me through some of life’s hardest moments.

Throughout the concert, powerful statistics flashed across the screens. They weren’t there to shock for the sake of it, they were there because they reflect the reality millions of women and girls continue to face every single day.

• 𝟴𝟭% 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.

• 𝗢𝗻 𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟲𝟴% 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸.

• 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝟭𝟮𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.

• 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝟭𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.

• 𝟭𝟴 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴.

• 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆, 𝗣𝗧𝗦𝗗 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀.

• 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝟭𝟭 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆.

• 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱’𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲.

Then came the question:

“Why are we afraid of the divine feminine?”

As someone who specialises in supporting survivors of abuse and sexual violence, these weren’t just statistics on a screen. They represent real people with real stories. Every number is someone’s daughter, mother, sister, partner, friend or client.

Behind each statistic is trauma, loss, fear and inequality, but also extraordinary resilience. Every day I have the privilege of witnessing people rebuild their lives after experiencing the unimaginable. Healing is possible, but prevention, education and early intervention are just as important.

𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿.
𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.
𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.

The work doesn’t end when the headlines fade. It continues in counselling rooms, schools, homes, workplaces and communities. Every conversation that helps someone feel seen, heard and believed moves us one step closer to a safer world.

Thank you, Alanis, for reminding me why this work means so much to me.

The statistics shared during the concert were part of a global awareness campaign highlighting the ongoing inequalities, violence and mental health challenges experienced by women and girls around the world. While individual figures may vary depending on the source and methodology used, the message remains clear: there is still significant work to do.

💜

I have the best clients 🥰
24/06/2026

I have the best clients 🥰

23/06/2026

I often get asked what therapy actually looks like.

Sometimes it’s talking. Sometimes it’s sitting with difficult emotions. And sometimes it’s something like this.

The empty chair technique can help people express feelings they’ve held onto for years—things they never got to say, questions that were never answered, or parts of themselves they’ve learned to silence.

What makes this scene so powerful is that it shines a light on the voice many of us carry inside: the inner critic. That running commentary that tells us we’re not good enough, that we’re failing, that we should have done better.

Often, when we get curious about where that voice came from, we discover it isn’t really ours at all. It may belong to a parent, a teacher, a partner, or someone whose words became woven into our sense of self.

Healing doesn’t always come from finding the perfect answer. Sometimes it comes from questioning the voice you’ve been listening to for years.

If your inner critic had a face, whose would it be?

And how different might your life be if you chose not to believe everything it says?

*P.S. I promise my version of this technique involves considerably less shouting.*😅



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