Isla Donaldson

• Client‑Centred Therapy
• Somatic approaches
• Trauma‑focused work

About Isla

Isla Donaldson helps people with stress, anxiety, relationship concerns, trauma and abuse, low self‑esteem and depression. She works by focusing on the person’s present experience, using that direct experience as a resource for change. Isla is registered with NCPS and has five years of clinical experience.

Her style is client‑centred and relational, which means the therapeutic relationship guides the pace and direction of work. Sessions emphasise listening and presence, while also offering challenge when useful. Isla uses somatic and trauma‑focused ways of working, paying attention to bodily sensations as part of understanding feelings and memories.

In practice this looks like noticing what someone feels in the body, talking through what that sensation may relate to, and trying small, practical ways to help regulate emotion and increase awareness. She also draws on existential ideas to help people think about meaning, choice and what matters to them in life.

Isla’s experience over five years includes work with adults and young people on issues such as low self‑esteem, anxiety, depression, grief and relationship problems. She has particular experience with people who have lived through trauma or abuse and with those who have struggled with self‑harm or suicidal thoughts.

Her training includes a first‑class BA in Humanistic Counselling Practice and further study in somatics, polyvagal theory, systemic trauma, Internal Family Systems, attachment, sex and sexuality, boundaries and safeguarding. She also has training in Applied Suicide Intervention and in providing therapy online.

How her approaches work in online counselling

Isla uses client‑centred work and somatic and trauma‑focused methods that translate to online sessions. Client‑centred therapy focuses on listening, building trust and following what matters to the person; it helps with relationship issues, low self‑esteem and feeling stuck. Somatic approaches pay attention to bodily sensations and use those sensations to understand emotion and to practise simple regulation techniques. Trauma‑focused work concentrates on supporting people to process distressing experiences and reduce their ongoing impact.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Isla will discuss goals, preferences and what feels most useful, and she will adapt the way of working as therapy progresses. This is a collaborative process and decisions about methods are made together.

Practical benefits of online sessions include fitting counselling around daily life and avoiding travel time. Online work can make it easier to have more regular check‑ins and to fit sessions into a lunch break or at the end of the day. The exact session formats are not specified here, so please confirm current session options before booking.

Topics Isla lists

• Stress and anxiety
• Relationship issues
• Trauma and abuse
• Self-esteem
• Depression
• Abandonment
• Attachment issues
• Body image
• Communication problems
• Emptiness
• Family problems
• Guilt and shame
• Hospice and end-of-life counselling
• Impulsivity
• Isolation and loneliness
• Life purpose
• Post-traumatic stress
• Self-harm
• Self-love
• Sexual assault and abuse
• Sexuality
• Women's issues
• Young adult issues

Ways of working

• Client-Centred Therapy
• Existential Therapy
• Somatic Therapy
• Trauma-Focused Therapy

Questions about Isla

Does she work with anxiety?

Yes. Anxiety is listed among the main concerns she supports, alongside stress and depression.

What kind of counselling does she offer?

She practises a client‑centred, relational approach and also uses somatic and trauma‑focused methods.

How much experience does she have?

She has five years of clinical experience working with adults and young people on a range of issues.

What are her credentials and where does she work?

She is registered with NCPS and is based in the United Kingdom.

Does she offer sessions in other languages?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can international clients see her?

She does not take clients outside the United Kingdom.

How are sessions charged?

Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.

How do I start working with her?

Use the Talk to a counsellor online button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.