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Hi, I’m Leaha

I provide trauma-informed counselling for young people and adults navigating anxiety, overwhelm, emotional burnout, relationship difficulties, life transitions, and the lasting impact of difficult experiences.

My approach is warm, grounded, and collaborative. I aim to create a space where people feel safe enough to speak openly, explore their experiences without judgement, and move toward meaningful and sustainable change at a pace that feels manageable.

I know that reaching out for support is difficult — especially when you’ve been carrying things on your own for a long time. Counselling doesn’t require you to have everything figured out before you begin. Often, simply having a space where you feel heard, understood, and supported can be an important starting point.

Why I Do This Work

Counselling feels like a natural extension of my long-standing interest in emotional wellbeing, mental health, and understanding the way people experience and move through the world. After navigating my own mental health challenges and cycling through psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors (and a random naturopath my Mum made me see when I was 19), I came to realise how much the quality of a therapeutic relationship can shape someone’s experience of feeling supported, understood, and safe.

I believe meaningful and lasting change happens through a therapeutic relationship built on trust, safety, honesty, consistency, and mutual respect. Therapy isn’t about “fixing” people, because people aren’t broken. It’s about creating space to better understand yourself, build coping capacity during difficult periods of life, reconnect with your strengths, and develop ways of moving through the world that feel more sustainable and manageable.

I know what it’s like to move between therapists while feeling unheard, misunderstood, overwhelmed, and emotionally burnt out. Because of this, I place a strong emphasis on creating sessions that feel validating, collaborative, and genuinely supportive. I’ll never claim to fully understand your experience, because I’m not you, but I’ll always do my best to listen openly, meet you where you’re at, and support you in finding practical and meaningful ways to navigate whatever challenges you’re facing.

I do this work to create the kind of space I once needed myself. That’s why my practice is grounded in both professional training and uses my experiences living with autism, ADHD and their inevitable related mental health challenges.

My Approach to Counselling

My work is trauma-informed, strengths-based, and person-centred.

This means I work with awareness of how past experiences, stress, relationships, and environments can affect emotions, behaviour, self-worth, coping patterns, and the nervous system. Sessions are guided collaboratively and adapted to each person’s individual needs, goals, and capacity.

I aim to provide counselling that is:

  • Warm and non-judgemental
  • Practical and reflective
  • Collaborative rather than directive
  • Grounded in emotional safety and trust
  • Flexible to each person’s pace and circumstances

I understand that people respond differently to counselling. Some clients want space to process emotions and experiences deeply, while others are looking for practical strategies, structure, and support with moving forward. Often, counselling involves a combination of both.

My approach focuses not only on the difficulties someone is experiencing, but also on their resilience, strengths, values, insight, and existing coping capacities.

Areas I Commonly Support

I work with people experiencing:

  • Difficulty integrating their ADHD or autism into daily life
  • Anxiety and chronic stress
  • Emotional overwhelm
  • Burnout and exhaustion
  • Low self-worth and self-criticism
  • Life transitions and uncertainty
  • Emotional regulation difficulties
  • Identity and self-exploration
  • Feelings of disconnection or being “stuck”

What Sessions May Feel Like

Clients often describe sessions as calm, validating, supportive, and grounded.

I aim to create an environment where people feel able to speak honestly without pressure, judgement, or expectation to present themselves in a certain way. Sessions are guided with curiosity, compassion, and respect for each person’s individual experiences and boundaries.

Counselling with me is not about forcing disclosure or rushing change. It is about building understanding, strengthening coping capacity, and supporting movement toward a life that feels more manageable, meaningful, and connected.

Professional Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Social Science
  • Bachelor of Psychological Science
  • Diploma in Counselling

Reaching Out

Beginning counselling can feel like a significant step, particularly when things already feel overwhelming or uncertain.

If you feel that my approach may be a good fit for you, you’re welcome to get in touch or book an initial session. You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out. We can start from where you are.