Elaine Macha

Through compassion, affirmation, and unconditional positive regard we build a relationship where you feel safe, heard and accepted. Within this safe space, you can explore traumatic experiences or difficulties in your life, along with associated thoughts and feelings. You set goals and makes choices regarding the direction your therapy takes. Through the experience of being seen and heard you can soothe feelings of hurt, loss and confusion.

Using psychoeducation you develop understanding of how your body has developed triggering responses to threat or fear, and you grow in awareness of how your body and mind work together to influence your felt experiences.

Using creative approaches I enable you to explore your thoughts and feelings from the 3rd person. Using drawing, games, images, sand and stones, you develop skills in communicating and managing your feelings. You develop strategies in emotional self-regulation and further explore feared and hidden emotions.

In the therapeutic space I support you with a deep congruent presence of my true self, being fully present and authentic in the therapeutic space. As you feel safe and can work with deep emotions, you experience new physiological and affective relational experiences giving new meaning and initiating healing of internalised emotions.

I intentionally affirm and validate you and your identified strengths and qualities along with the impact of your experiences. You are empowered to explore your self-beliefs, and grow in self-understanding of protective relational patterns. You reconnect with your core values, and make meaningful shifts which empower you to emotional well-being.

Private Practice BACP Registered Counsellor and Psychotherapist UK & NL, face-to-face and online therapeutic work with adults and teenagers, 2021- current. Counselling Team, Counselling students and staff and completion of Intake Assessments with Craven College, N. Yorkshire, 2019 - current. Associate Therapist, Mable Therapy; (Online Counselling for children, teens and schools) Leeds, UK, 2021-2025. Place2be School Counsellor Project Manager, Leeds, UK, 2022. Counselling skills and Emotional Literacy Programme for students with behavioural and emotional difficulties, Craven PRS. 2012-2015. Counselling students and adults when working in Tanzania, 2002-2009. Life skills educator and HIV Risk Reduction Education in Tanzania, 2002-2009. Volunteer counsellor with students in Leicestershire schools, 2000. Science Educator UK Schools, 1991-2019.

2025 - Sensorimotor Psychotherapy - When the Body Complains, Pat Ogden & Hanneke Kalisvaart, Uitgeverij Mens!. 2025 - EFT Emotion Focused Therapy (Couples), Dr. Sue Johnson, Pesi Int. 2024 - Trauma Sporen, Prof. dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Uitgeverij Mens!. 2024 - Co-dependency, releasing the inner child, BACP. 2024 - ACT Essentials, Acceptance ad Commitment Therapy, Association for Psychological Therapies. 2023 - From Chaos to order, Complex trauma and Dissociation in children and adolescents. 2023 - Supporting and Understanding children's challenging behaviour, Mable Therapy. 2022 - Supporting students to overcome Anxiety, Mable Therapy. 2022 - Diploma in Child and Adolescent Counselling (Level 4), Stonebridge Colleges. 2021 - Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy (Level 7), Leeds Beckett University. 2000 - Postgraduate Counselling Skills, Vaughan College (Level 5), Leicester University. 2010 - Masters in Education, Health Promotion & International Development (Level 7), Institute of Education, University of London. 1991 - Postgraduate Certificate in Education, Leicester University. 1989 - BSc. Honours in Biological Science (Level 4), Leicester University.