Isla Donaldson
Calm, somatic-informed counselling
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About Isla
Isla Donaldson helps people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, relationship problems, and the effects of trauma and abuse. She works with issues like abandonment, attachment difficulties, body image, and loneliness. Her approach aims to restore a sense of balance, meaning and connection in daily life.
Isla offers a calm, collaborative space where the client sets the pace. She sits alongside people with warmth and steady attention, offering both support and gentle challenge as needed.
Background and approach
The focus is on what feels most important to the client right now. Her practice is rooted in client-centred and relational ideas that trust each person’s capacity to grow. That means sessions adapt to the individual’s needs and goals rather than following a fixed script.
Isla also uses somatic and trauma-informed ways of working, paying attention to bodily sensations as clues to emotion and memory. Over five years she has worked with adults and young people on grief, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, anxiety and relationship strain. She has particular experience supporting people who have experienced sexual assault and other forms of abuse.
Isla holds a first-class BA in Humanistic Counselling Practice and the NCPS credential. She continues training in somatics, polyvagal theory, attachment and related topics to keep her practice current. To start, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule a session.
Isla aims to be flexible with timing and will try to accommodate requests for sessions outside published slots.
At a glance
- Years practising
- 5
- Registered with
- NCPS
- Registration number
- NCS21-01342
- Languages
- English
- Approaches include
- Client-Centered Therapy, Existential Therapy, Somatic Therapy
- How sessions happen
- Online, by video, phone or messages
Details are as listed on Isla's public professional profile. You can check any number with the professional body.
What Isla works with
Everything Isla lists, in their own terms.
- Stress, 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 / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Isla lists
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each counsellor names and does not check training records.
How Isla works online
Somatic Therapy pays attention to sensations in the body as part of emotional work. It can help people notice and regulate tension, overwhelm or numbness that come with anxiety, trauma or grief.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Isla will talk with each person about their needs, goals and preferences and then agree a way of working that fits. That could mean drawing more on body-focused practices for some people and more conversational, reflective work for others.
Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life and can reduce travel time. It can also allow for shorter check-ins when a full session is not possible, or for sessions without video if that suits someone better. Session formats are not specified here, so please confirm current options before booking to ensure they meet your needs.
Questions and answers
What concerns does she work with?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties and the impact of trauma and abuse, plus related issues such as body image, emptiness and self-harm.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her style is collaborative and relational, focusing on the person’s immediate experience and pace. Sessions combine listening, reflective work and somatic awareness to help process feelings and memories.
How much experience does she have?
She has five years of clinical experience working with adults and young people on a range of difficulties including grief, anxiety and trauma-related problems.
What are her credentials and location?
She holds the NCPS credential and a first-class BA in Humanistic Counselling Practice, and she is based in the United Kingdom.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
What does therapy cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.
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