Helen Wills – Professional Counsellor

I know that reaching out to a counsellor can feel daunting, especially if you're used to coping on your own. I take a down-to-earth approach, and I'm genuinely interested in the person sitting opposite me. Therapy with me isn't clinical or formal; you don't need to arrive with the right words or know exactly what you want to change.

I want you to feel able to be yourself, talk honestly and know you won't be judged. Sometimes we'll explore things deeply; sometimes you may simply need somewhere to say out loud what you've been carrying alone.

You don't need to leave the capable part of you at the door. But you don't have to rely on it all the time either.

Not all grief begins with a bereavement. You may be coping with the death of someone you love, a cancer diagnosis, chronic illness, chronic pain or CFS/ME. Or perhaps you're grieving a different kind of loss - relationship breakdown, divorce, infertility, redundancy, retirement, an empty nest or a future that no longer looks the way you expected.

I also work extensively with anxiety, including health anxiety, perfectionism and the feeling of being constantly overwhelmed or on edge. You may be struggling with self-esteem, parenting or relationship difficulties, or find yourself repeating patterns such as people-pleasing, putting others first or finding it difficult to express what you need.

I also have experience supporting people affected by addiction and alcohol misuse, whether you're concerned about your own coping strategies or dealing with the impact of someone else's addiction.

Whatever brings you to therapy, you don't need to fit neatly into a category. Often grief, anxiety, relationships, health and the ways we've learned to cope are deeply connected.

I am a qualified Gestalt counsellor and trained Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist, with an attachment-informed approach to my work. My training helps me understand both what you're experiencing now and how earlier relationships and experiences may continue to shape how you feel, cope and connect with others.

I have particular experience supporting people through grief and bereavement, including experience working in a hospice, as well as working therapeutically with cancer, chronic illness, chronic pain and CFS/ME. I also work extensively with anxiety, relationship difficulties and the emotional impact of significant life changes.

Before training as a therapist, I spent many years in senior corporate leadership. That experience gives me an additional understanding of professional pressures, stress, burnout and the challenge of managing difficult personal experiences while continuing to function at work.

I work in person in St Albans, Hertfordshire, and online with clients across the UK.

My approach combines Gestalt counselling, Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and attachment-informed work. We'll start with what's happening for you now, while being curious about how earlier experiences may shape the way you feel, cope and relate to others today.

IFS helps us understand the different parts of ourselves that emerge when life becomes difficult. You may recognise an anxious part anticipating what could go wrong, a critical part telling you you're not good enough, a people-pleasing part putting everyone else first, or a part that simply feels exhausted or overwhelmed.

Rather than trying to silence or get rid of these parts, we'll explore why they're there and what they need in order to relax. This can help you respond to yourself with greater compassion, feel less driven by familiar patterns and create lasting emotional change.

But therapy doesn't always need to involve a particular technique. Sometimes you simply need somewhere to talk openly, feel genuinely heard and not have to look after anyone else. We'll work at your pace, focusing on what feels most important to you.