Laura Uezzell

I am based in Southsea, Portsmouth, Monday to Friday.

Unfortunately all concession slots have been taken at the moment but I am operating a waiting list, please get in touch if you would like to be added.

I offer trauma-informed counselling for couples and individuals in Portsmouth and online across the UK. My work is rooted in attachment theory, Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT), and Polyvagal-informed nervous-system awareness. Together, we explore not only what’s happening in your mind and emotions, but also how your body and nervous system respond when stress or disconnection appear.

In couples counselling, I help partners understand and change the patterns that keep them stuck. You may find yourselves caught in the same argument or silence, longing to reconnect but feeling unsafe or misunderstood. Using EFCT, a research-supported, evidence-based approach, we identify the negative cycle between you and begin to rebuild emotional safety, empathy, and trust. The aim isn’t to assign blame but to help you both feel seen, heard, and emotionally connected again.

For individuals, the focus is similar, understanding how early experiences, trauma, or attachment wounds shape current relationships, self-worth, and coping responses. By working gently and at your nervous system’s pace, we develop awareness, self-trust, and emotional regulation.

My style is calm, compassionate, and collaborative. Sessions are structured but flexible, balancing emotional depth with steady grounding. Whether you come alone or as a couple, I’ll help you slow down, notice what’s happening beneath the surface, and create space for change that feels safe and sustainable.

The first session is an opportunity to understand your needs and explore whether we’re a good fit to work together. It’s a space for you to share what brings you here and what you hope will change, without pressure to know exactly where to begin.

For couples, the initial session lasts 75 minutes (£120). During this time, we’ll begin mapping the emotional cycle between you the patterns of pursuit, withdrawal, or shutdown that repeat when you’re both hurting or feeling unheard. You’ll have space to talk about what happens in those moments and what each of you longs for underneath the conflict. This session helps us identify key themes and begin building a sense of safety for both partners.

For individuals, the first session lasts 50 minutes (£65). It’s a gentle introduction to your story and the issues you’d like to explore, whether they involve trauma, anxiety, attachment wounds, or relationship patterns.

You’ll never be rushed, and there’s no obligation to continue if it doesn’t feel like the right fit. The aim of the first meeting is for you to leave with a sense of what it’s like to work together and whether this approach feels supportive and safe for you.

Before beginning counselling, I offer a free 15-minute phone or Zoom consultation so you can ask questions, get a feel for how I work, and decide whether this approach feels right for you. This short call also helps us find a suitable time slot, as most clients prefer a regular weekly session to support consistency and progress.

For couples, the initial session lasts 75 minutes (£120). This longer first session allows time to explore what brings you to counselling and to begin mapping the emotional pattern that plays out between you. Using an Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT) framework, we look at what happens underneath conflict or distance, how each partner’s attachment history and nervous system shape your responses, and what you both need to start rebuilding safety and connection.

Subsequent couples sessions are 60 minutes (£90), and occasional individual sessions (£60 per person) may be suggested to support mapping and integration.

For individuals, sessions are 50 minutes (£65). We begin by identifying what you want from counselling and exploring the issues you’d like to work on, whether trauma, anxiety, attachment wounds, or relationship patterns.

At the end of your first session, we’ll confirm your regular weekly time slot and agree a commitment to the work. You’ll never be rushed, but consistency is key to creating the safety and momentum needed for change.