Isabella Whittaker

I offer weekly one-to-one sessions, each lasting 50 minutes, at the same time and day each week - providing consistency and a steady rhythm to our work together.

You can choose to work with me either online or in person, depending on what feels right for you.

In-person sessions are available between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Evening appointments may be available online if that suits you better.

Hi, I'm Bella!

I am a qualified relational humanistic psychotherapist, which means my priority is nurturing a genuine, trusting, and safe connection with you. Therapy with me is about creating a space that holds you - one that feels real, warm, and human. My work is grounded in values of empathy, attunement, and presence. At the core, I believe the most important thing is that we’re two people meeting and connecting as humans. You’re invited to share your whole self - even the parts you might carry shame about. Shame begins to lose its grip when it’s spoken aloud, so let’s meet what’s been hidden, side by side.

I offer a space that is welcoming, inclusive, and affirms all identities, neurotypes, and ways of being. I’m committed to anti-oppressive practice and aware of how systems like racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and sexism affect wellbeing and lived experience. I celebrate neurodivergence and value the richness of the minds and experiences you bring. However you show up, I’ll meet you with openness, respect, care, and cultural humility.

While I work with people across all life stages, I have a particular passion for supporting young adults. I understand how confusing, stressful, and emotionally demanding this phase of life can be. It’s often full of uncertainty, transitions, and pressure to figure everything out - career, relationships, independence, identity, to name just a few.

Add to that constant comparisons and competitiveness from social media, academic or career stress, and the feeling that everyone else is coping (even if they’re not)... it can be a lot.

You’re not alone if you fear failure or feel not good enough - the rise in socially-prescribed perfectionism is very real. Chasing your worth is exhausting. But that feeling doesn’t exist in a vacuum - it’s shaped by wider cultural messages.

We can start to untangle those, understand where they come from, and begin rewriting the story in a way that’s actually yours.

The therapy process / My role:

Therapy is a space where you don’t have to do it alone.

I believe in the power of a meaningful, authentic bond between therapist and client, and I prioritise the quality of the relationship we build. I’ll bring my full presence to our time together, and invite you to do the same, in your own way and at your own pace.

This is a collaborative journey - we’re a team. You are the expert in your experience; I’m not here to hand you quick fixes, but to support you in discovering your own insights and choices. They’re in there - together, we’ll gently uncover them.

The space is yours to shape. I’ll stay attuned to what you need -whether that means bringing a more directive, challenging energy to the process, or offering space to breathe, reflect, and explore.

Some aims of therapy:

• To process and heal old wounds, and reconnect with the world around you

• To deepen awareness and understanding of yourself—with kindness and curiosity

• To make sense of your experiences and how they’ve shaped your life

• To untangle patterns that no longer serve you and create space for more flexible, conscious ways of being

• To reflect on your choices and explore what moving forward might look like

• To reconnect with parts of yourself that may have been pushed aside - helping you feel more grounded and whole

How change happens:

• Change is a gradual process - you get to enjoy the journey of becoming

• Every small step matters. Lasting change isn’t instant, but it is possible

• True growth comes through self-acceptance- not fixing yourself

• You have an inner healer - therapy helps clear the way

• Research shows the therapeutic relationship is key to meaningful change - and that’s where I come in

I'm trained in three core humanistic approaches: person-centred, transactional analysis, and Gestalt. I also draw from therapeutic traditions when they feel supportive. This means I work in an integrative way, with a flexible and responsive style, adapting to what you need, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

At the heart of humanistic therapy is a simple but powerful understanding: within every person lies the capacity and resources to heal and grow. That potential is always there – even if life’s challenges have made it harder to see or access. Therapy can help you reconnect with that part of yourself, gently clearing the way for change to unfold.

Some Humanistic Beliefs:

• You're not broken. Distress doesn’t come from some flaw or defect within you. Instead of asking ‘what’s wrong with you?’ I’m more interested in ‘what happened?’ or ‘what experiences shaped this response?’

• Your patterns were once wise. Behaviours that may now feel stuck or unhelpful often began as creative adjustments – adaptive ways you learned to cope, protect yourself, or survive. They made sense then, even if they may no longer serve you now. Together, we can gently explore how to honour their roots and update them in light of who and where you are today.

• Your experience is valid and uniquely yours. Every person brings their own story, and therapy can take many forms. Your journey is yours - and deeply respected.

• We’re equals in the room. I'm not here as an expert to 'fix' you. You’re the expert in your own experience, and I’m here to support you in reconnecting with your own wisdom. 

• The space is inclusive and non-judgemental. Whoever you are, however you show up, whatever you bring - you are welcome here. 

• It’s about empowering you. 

I have an MSC from the Metanoia Institute and have accumulated a substantial breadth of professional experience, working with a wide-ranging and diverse client base across various therapeutic settings.

I look forward to meeting you.