Laura Wijnberg
Psychological Counsellor
I offer warm and supportive online therapy for adults, with space to explore whatever may be feeling difficult or overwhelming right now.
I specialise in:
About me
I have an international background, having grown up between France and South Africa before completing my undergraduate and master’s training in Psychology in the Netherlands. I later moved to the UK, where I worked across different mental health settings before completing a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
Over the years, I’ve worked with adults experiencing a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties, including anxiety, low mood, emotional overwhelm, obsessive-compulsive difficulties, trauma, and periods of feeling stuck or disconnected from themselves.
I’ve also worked with children, young people, and families, including within services supporting ADHD and autism assessments. This involved conducting assessments, contributing to diagnostic formulations, and supporting young people and families in making sense of their experiences. Through this work, I developed a strong interest in supporting neurodivergent individuals and now particularly enjoy working with adults with ADHD, suspected ADHD, autism, or experiences of overwhelm, masking, emotional exhaustion, and feeling misunderstood or different from others.
I know that starting therapy can feel like a big step, especially if you’re not completely sure where to begin or how to put into words what’s been going on. Many people come to therapy after spending a long time trying to cope on their own, pushing things aside, or feeling like they “should” be managing better than they are.
My aim is to offer a warm, supportive, and non-judgemental space where you feel able to talk openly and explore things at your own pace. I see therapy as collaborative, where we work together to better understand what may be contributing to how things feel today and think about what might help moving forward.
Sometimes therapy may involve exploring past experiences or long-standing patterns, while at other times the focus may be more on understanding what’s happening in the present and finding different ways of responding to difficulties in day-to-day life. Early sessions are often about building a shared understanding of what has been going on for you, what feels important to explore, and what you hope to gain from therapy.
Every person is different, so I always try to adapt my approach to what feels most helpful, supportive, and manageable for you.
I speak:
Location:
Approach
My approach to therapy is flexible and adapted to each individual person, rather than following one fixed way of working. I draw on different therapeutic approaches depending on what feels most helpful for you and your situation, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), trauma-informed approaches, and mindfulness.
At the centre of my work is the belief that therapy should feel collaborative, supportive, and grounded in a genuine therapeutic relationship. Many people spend a long time trying to hold things together on their own, pushing through difficult emotions, or feeling like they “should” be coping better than they are. Therapy can offer space to slow things down, make sense of what’s been going on, and begin responding to difficulties with more understanding and self-compassion.
I usually recommend starting with a free 15-minute consultation before booking a first session. This gives us a chance to briefly meet, talk about what has brought you to therapy, and think about whether working together feels like the right fit. I see this as a relaxed and informal conversation rather than anything pressured or overwhelming.
The first few sessions are often focused on building an understanding of your experiences, what has been feeling difficult, and what you hope to gain from therapy. Together, we may explore patterns in thoughts, emotions, relationships, or ways of coping, while also thinking about what changes or support may feel most helpful moving forward.
For some people, therapy may involve exploring past experiences or long-standing patterns, while for others the focus may be more on navigating present difficulties, managing emotions, improving relationships, building self-understanding, or finding different ways of responding to stress and overwhelm.
I try to adapt therapy to what feels manageable, supportive, and meaningful for you as an individual, rather than taking a “one size fits all” approach.
Feel free to reach out for an initial chat, I'd love to hear from you!
Experience
Trainee Clinical Psychologist (Doctorate in Clinical Psychology) Completed a three-year clinical doctorate involving supervised practice across a range of mental health settings. Worked with adults experiencing difficulties such as anxiety, low mood, obsessive-compulsive difficulties, health anxiety, trauma, and neurodevelopmental differences (e.g. ADHD and autism). I gained experience working as part of multidisciplinary teams, collaborating with other professionals and families. I developed skills in psychological assessment, formulation, and delivering evidence-based interventions.
Assistant Psychologist Provided 1:1 psychological support to staff, offering therapeutic input for a range of emotional and mental health difficulties. Supported wellbeing through evidence-based approaches and worked as part of a wider multidisciplinary team. I also facilitated weekly group mindfulness sessions.
Occupational Therapy Assistant Supported individuals within a forensic setting, contributing to therapeutic programmes and promoting engagement in meaningful activities as part of rehabilitation.
Mental Healthcare Assistant Worked in a range of clinical settings, supporting individuals with complex mental health needs.
Support Worker Worked in a residential care home for individuals with autism.
MSc Psychology Internship Gained early experience providing 1:1 therapeutic support for individuals with anxiety and low mood.
Education
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy)- University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom During the doctorate, I also completed advanced practice seminars (specific teaching) in:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Schema Therapy
- Complex Trauma
Master’s Degree in Psychology (MSc) - Leiden University, The Netherlands
Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology (BSc) - Tilburg University, The Netherlands
Services
Intro Call
Individual Session
Insurances
