About Isla
Isla Donaldson helps people facing stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, relationship difficulties and the effects of trauma and abuse. She uses a straightforward, compassionate approach to help people feel steadier and more connected to themselves. Isla writes simply and listens closely, aiming to make sessions practical and relevant to everyday life.
Her style is collaborative and person-centred. Sessions focus on what matters most to each person and move at a comfortable pace.
How Isla works
Isla combines talking with attention to bodily sensations so that feelings and memories can be noticed and processed together. Isla brings five years of clinical experience in the United Kingdom. She has supported adults and young people through grief, low mood, anxiety, relationship strain and complex trauma.
Her background includes work with people who have experienced sexual assault, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and other serious distress. She holds NCPS as a credential and completed a first-class BA in Humanistic Counselling Practice. Isla has undertaken further training in somatics, somatic trauma therapy, polyvagal theory, attachment theory, internal family systems and topics such as boundaries and applied suicide intervention.
Sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat or text messaging to suit different routines. Isla aims to be responsive and can sometimes accommodate requests outside published times. If someone is considering therapy she invites them to start with a short conversation about current concerns and goals.
Isla lists 4 ways of working on the entry:
What Isla works with
The areas below are the ones Isla selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Body image
- Communication problems
- Depression
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Training and background
| Register | NCPS |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 5 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | United Kingdom |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How therapeutic approaches adapt to online sessions
Isla uses a person-centred approach and somatic work to help people notice thoughts, feelings and bodily reactions. Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening closely, reflecting what you say and helping you find your own solutions; it is useful for building self-trust and clarity. Somatic Therapy pays attention to bodily sensations and breath so that emotions and memories can be felt and processed safely, which can help with trauma responses and long-standing anxiety.Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and what feels most helpful, then try different ways of working until a good fit emerges. This is a collaborative process where the style and pace are adjusted to suit each person.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text messaging to give practical flexibility. Video lets visual cues and body language be part of the work, phone calls can be useful when bandwidth is low or for a quieter check-in, and chat or messaging can suit short exchanges or people who prefer typing. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy days and to keep continuity when travel or other commitments make in-person sessions difficult.
Start online instead of waiting
Our partner service asks a few questions about what you are looking for and matches you with a therapist for sessions from home.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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