Danielle Brown

I currently have availability on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons and evenings.

Talking is where therapy starts. Change is where it leads.

I’m a qualified integrative counsellor with a person-centred foundation. I work with adults (18+) and couples, offering online counselling across the UK and face-to-face counselling in Wigan.

I believe people rarely become stuck because they are weak or because they are doing life wrong. More often, we develop ways of coping that once made sense but may no longer fit the life we are trying to build. These patterns can influence our relationships, how we respond to stress, the expectations we place on ourselves, and how we understand who we are.

Therapy can provide a space to slow things down, understand those patterns and consider whether something different might be possible. It isn't about changing who you are or trying to become someone else. It is about developing a fuller understanding of yourself, your experiences and your needs, so that you have greater choice in how you respond and what you want moving forward.

I work with people who may be feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, stuck, or unsure of how to move forward. I have experience supporting clients with trauma and complex life experiences, anxiety, depression, stress, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, grief and significant life changes. I also work with neurodivergent clients and those exploring or adjusting to a new understanding of themselves.

My approach is collaborative and honest. I won't simply sit silently while you do all the talking. I will listen carefully, ask questions, notice patterns and, where appropriate, offer another perspective or gently challenge an assumption. You don't have to agree with everything I say; my perspective is one part of the conversation, not the answer.

I am an integrative counsellor, which means I draw from different therapeutic approaches rather than expecting every client to fit one particular model. My work has a person-centred foundation, placing the therapeutic relationship at the heart of our work, alongside elements of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), psychodynamic thinking and reality therapy.

Different approaches can be helpful for different people and different difficulties. We will consider what is most useful for you, rather than following a fixed formula. This might involve understanding how past experiences continue to influence the present, exploring patterns in your thoughts and behaviour, making sense of relationships, or considering what you want to change and how you might move towards it.

I have experience supporting adults with a wide range of experiences, including childhood trauma, complex life experiences, anxiety, depression, stress, low self-esteem, grief, relationship difficulties and major life transitions. I have also supported clients with neurodivergent experiences, as well as people living with diagnoses including bipolar disorder, psychosis, schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder.

I also offer face-to-face couples counselling. My role is not to decide who is right or wrong or to take sides. Instead, I help couples slow down patterns of conflict or disconnection, understand each other's perspectives and create space for more constructive conversations. Often, couples become caught in cycles where both partners are responding from their own experiences and needs without fully understanding what is happening underneath the conflict.

Whether working individually or with couples, I aim to create a space where you can be honest, curious and able to explore things without judgement. Therapy is a collaborative process, and what we work on is shaped by what you bring.

Before your first session, I offer a free 20-minute consultation to prospective clients. This gives us an opportunity to briefly discuss what you are looking for, ask any questions you may have and get a sense of whether we might work well together.

The first session then gives us more time to get to know each other and explore what has brought you to counselling. We can discuss what you would like support with, what you hope might change and anything that may be helpful for me to understand about your experiences.

Because I work integratively, there isn't a fixed structure that every first session has to follow. If you already know what you want to work on, we can get a bit more stuck in from the beginning. If you are unsure where to start, that's okay too. We can take some time to understand what is happening for you and work out together where it might be helpful to begin.

We can also talk about any adjustments that may help you feel more comfortable, including adjustments relating to disability, neurodiversity or personal preferences. I want you to be able to communicate in a way that feels natural and manageable for you.

I will also explain practical aspects of counselling, including confidentiality and the boundaries of our work, so that you know what to expect.

My aim is for you to leave the first session with a clearer sense of how we might work together. You don't need to arrive with everything figured out, and you don't need to know exactly what you want from therapy. We can work that out together.