Ellen Harding Boyle

Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counsellor

I work with children, young people, and their parents, offering support through some of life's harder moments. Building a good rapport with each person I see matters to me and I work at their pace, so they feel safe and understood, and together we can explore their experiences, thoughts, and feelings, and think about what might help them move forward.

In my work, I keep in mind attachment theory, psychoanalytic ideas, and what we've learned from neuroscience. In simple terms, how a child's earlier and ongoing life experiences may have shaped their internal world, as well as their developing brain and nervous system, and how this might be playing a part in their current difficulties 

Sometimes what a young person needs most is simply a space to explore their experiences and feelings, and have these validated, something that isn't always easy to do alone. In sessions, I draw on play, arts and crafts, psycho-education, storytelling, and conversation, helping each young person express themselves within a warm, trusting relationship.

Childhood and adolescence bring rapid change, and real opportunities for growth. I aim to help my clients find new ways to think about and cope with difficult situations, so they can feel hopeful about their futures. I'm also mindful of the wider world of family, school, and community, and where helpful, I work alongside parents and carers too.