Michelle Courtney

Individual Online therapy available via secure video (zoom/Teams) with telephone sessions where preferred. Flexible appointments available. 

New clients - During the months August/September/October2026 will receive personalised resources to support their therapeutic work with me, an initial assessment and monthly progress report for free (Value £500)

My interest in how people become stuck and how they move towards steadiness has been shaped by decades working across psychotherapy & neuroscience for mental health, global business and education environments.

Throughout my career, I have been interested in the relationship between stress, adversity, nervous system responses and our capacity to respond to life’s challenges. Whether working with individual clients, professionals, or organisations, I have repeatedly seen how our experiences shape the way we think, feel, relate and respond to the world around us.

What working together feels like

My role is not to offer quick solutions or analyse you from a distance. It is to work alongside you—helping you understand what’s happening beneath the surface, and supporting steadier, more compassionate ways forward.

An Integrative, nervous-system informed approach

I don’t work from a single model.

My approach integrates:

Polyvagal-informed work

ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)

Somatic Awareness

Mindfulness-based practice

This means we work not only with thoughts, but with how your nervous system responds—so change becomes something you can feel, practise, and sustain.

What clients often begin to notice

Greater clarity around emotional patterns

less overwhelm in situations that once felt difficult

More space between trigger and response

Greater self-compassion and steadiness

Deeper connection in relationships

This work is grounded in research evidence, but deeply human in practice—focused on helping you create the conditions for steadiness, reflective capacity, and meaningful change and grounded in the realities of everyday human experience.

Today, I work with clients across Merseyside, the UK, Ireland and internationally in over 30 countries, supporting people experiencing anxiety, trauma, burnout, neurodivergence, relationship challenges and major life transitions.

Most approaches begin with thoughts—what you should change or manage. My approach to integrative psychotherapy starts somewhere else.

It focuses on what happens in your system first—the signals, the shifts, the moments that arrive before you’ve had time to think.

When you begin to notice and work with these patterns, something changes quietly. You gain space—more choice. A steadier way of moving through everyday life.

This isn’t about learning more information.

It is about experiencing a different way of responding to yourself and your world—in real time, in a way that actually holds under pressure.

Together, we pay attention to what is happening internally—your thoughts, protective patterns, felt sense, and nervous system shifts—so that change becomes something you can actively build, not simply hope for.

What this work involves

We begin by noticing what is already present—your thoughts, protective patterns, and your responses to the world around you;

Understand your protective patterns without judgement

Recognising how your nervous system is responding in real time

Develop practical ways to regulate overwhelm

Building steadier responses that align with your values, relationships, and responsibilities

Who This is For

Individuals who are:

Used to being the one others rely on

Holding responsibility for others in a professional or caring role

Working from home or feeling more isolated than expected

Transitions across new environments, cultures, career paths that feel challenging

Navigating pressure in work, relationships or decision-making

Sessions are  personalised to your needs, whether you are looking for focused short-term support or longer-term psychotherapy.

Qualifications:

PG Dip Psychology & Neuroscience for Mental Health, Kings College, London

Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy

M.Sc. 

MBA (Distinction) 

PGCE 

 BA (Hons)  

Clinical Psychotherapy Supervision Certificate

Â鶹ԭ´´s:

Â鶹ԭ´´ Registered Member│Applied Neuroscience Association (ANA)│Polyvagal Institute

The first session is an opportunity for us to understand what has brought you to therapy, what you would like support with, and whether working together feels like the right fit.

Some clients arrive with a very clear focus, while others simply know that something feels difficult, hard to manage, or overwhelming. Depending on your circumstance and whether  short-term focused support or long-term psychotherapy feels more appropriate,  I may invite you to complete a brief wellbeing or background questionnaire before we meet. This is not a diagnostic assessment, but a helpful way of understanding relevant history, current pressures, and the areas you would like support with. It is voluntary and not a requirement to work with me. 

During our first session, we will begin exploring your current concenrs, relavant life experiences, patterns you may be noticing, and a brief overview of what you would hope to gain from therapy. I will also explain how I work and answer any questions you may have. 

Some people seek focused short-term support around a specific issue, while others want to look deeper into longer held issues. Together, we can consider what would be most helpful for your cirucmstances.

My approach to our first session, is thoughtful, and designed to help you feel at ease. Where appropriate, we will also discuss practical aspects of working together, including how sessions are structured, confidentiality and what feels like the most helpful next step for your circumstances. Clients booking with me August/September 2026 will receive personalised resources  to support their therapeutic work with me, an initial assessment and monthly progress report for free (Value £500)