Sheet 1
- Person-centred approach
- Somatic methods
- Trauma-focused work
About Isla
Counsellor (NCPS), 5 years' experience. Isla Donaldson helps people with stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem and depression. She works with adults and young people and offers person-centred, somatic and trauma-informed ways of working.
Isla focuses on what matters to the person in front of her. Sessions centre on the client’s present experience, including bodily sensations. She helps people notice feelings and physical signals, name them, and use that information to make clearer choices about relationships and daily life.
Her style combines a person-centred, relational stance with somatic practice and trauma-focused work. That means conversations are guided by the client’s priorities while attention to bodily experience and safety supports processing of distressing memories and strong emotion.
Isla has five years’ clinical experience working with adults and young people on issues such as grief, suicidal ideation, self-harm, attachment wounds and sexual assault. She aims to balance support and challenge, helping people build self-awareness and more reliable ways of managing distress.
Academic and continuing training inform her practice. She holds a first-class BA in Humanistic Counselling Practice and has completed additional training in somatics, Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy, Polyvagal Theory, Internal Family Systems and related areas. This ongoing learning shapes how she works with trauma and regulation.
To begin, clients are invited to outline current concerns and goals. Sessions attend to feelings, bodily signals and life context so people can find clearer direction and steadier regulation over time.
Sheet 2
How her somatic and client-centred approaches work online
Isla uses a person-centred way of working that keeps the client's priorities at the centre. This approach focuses on listening, reflecting and following what the client brings each session. It helps when people need a therapist who adapts to their pace and concerns.She also uses somatic methods that draw attention to bodily sensations and the nervous system. These practices help people notice tension, grounding and shifts in feeling, which can support processing of trauma and strong emotion. Trauma-focused work is used to help process distressing memories while attending to present safety and regulation.
Finding the right mix of approaches is collaborative. Isla will work with the client to decide which methods fit their needs, goals and preferences. That discussion is part of the early sessions and can be revisited as the work progresses.
Session formats are not specified in the supplied details, so please confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It can also support continuity of care when attending in-person sessions is difficult. Registered or accredited professionals can adapt exercises for remote sessions so practical therapeutic work continues to be effective.
Sheet 3
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
5+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Sheet 4
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with?
Isla supports people with stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, self-esteem problems and depression. She also works with related areas such as grief, self-harm and sexual assault.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her approach is person-centred and relational, with somatic and trauma-focused methods. Sessions focus on the client's present experience and bodily sensations as a route to understanding and change.
How much experience does she have?
She has five years' clinical experience working with adults and young people on a range of issues including trauma, self-harm and suicidal ideation.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She holds NCPS and is based in the United Kingdom. The credential is presented as NCPS as supplied.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the UK work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time. Specific pricing details should be checked before booking.
How do I start working with her?
Begin by selecting the See online therapy options button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the urgent help numbers.