Nicola Gooden

I work with individuals navigating a wide range of emotional and psychological experiences. In our work together, I create a warm and non-judgemental space for you to explore what鈥檚 going on, in your own time and in your own way.  Rather than listing labels or clinical terms, I like to describe the kinds of thoughts, feelings, and experiences that often show up in the therapy space. These are the challenges people bring into the room, and if any of them resonate with you, it may be that this space could support you too.

鈥淚 should be coping better than this. Other people seem to manage.鈥�

鈥淚 feel low and anxious, but I keep telling myself I鈥檓 being dramatic or overreacting.鈥�

鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 failing at being human.鈥�

鈥淚 feel like something huge has changed, and I don鈥檛 know how to move forward from it.鈥�

鈥淚 keep grieving the life I thought I鈥檇 have. It鈥檚 like I鈥檝e lost a future I was counting on.鈥�

鈥淪tarting uni has been so much harder than I expected. The pressure is intense, and I feel anxious all the time. It鈥檚 hard to connect with people.鈥�

鈥淚 don鈥檛 even want to go to uni, but I don鈥檛 know what else to do. I feel like I have to make a big decision, and I don鈥檛 want to let anyone down.鈥�

鈥淓veryone鈥檚 so excited about the baby, but I鈥檓 still impacted by the birth. I feel overwhelmed, but I can鈥檛 say anything because people just say, 鈥楢t least the baby is healthy.鈥欌��

鈥淚 expected to completely love motherhood and feel blissful, but I鈥檓 just not getting that.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檝e lost myself in motherhood : I don鈥檛 even know who I am anymore.鈥�

If any of this sounds familiar, you are not alone, and you don鈥檛 need to go through it alone. Therapy offers a space to make sense of things, soften self-judgement, and reconnect with your own strength and clarity.

Book a free discovery appointment to see if we are the right fit.

I am an integrative counsellor offering both in-person sessions in Birmingham and online counselling across the UK. My practice supports individuals navigating a wide range of emotional and psychological experiences, including overwhelm, life transitions, and feelings of shame. I have additional training and experience supporting university students, helping with academic pressures, identity changes, and personal growth, as well as mums, including postnatal emotional wellbeing.

In my practice, I aim to provide a supportive, confidential, and collaborative space where clients can explore their experiences at their own pace. I take an integrative approach, drawing on different therapeutic models to tailor sessions to the unique needs of each client. This allows us to work flexibly with whatever challenges or patterns are most relevant, whether that鈥檚 managing anxiety, low mood, grief, relationship difficulties, or adjusting to major life changes.

My sessions are client-led, which means you guide what we focus on. I offer a calm, empathetic, and non-judgemental presence, helping you make sense of your experiences, develop coping strategies, and reconnect with your own strengths. While therapy is a space to explore emotions and patterns, it is also practical  supporting you to find clarity, resilience, and more confidence in everyday life.

I aim to make my practice accessible and welcoming. Sessions are offered online for clients across the UK, and in-person in Birmingham. Whether you are experiencing ongoing stress, facing a major life transition, or simply seeking a space to be heard and understood, this practice is here to support you.

The first session is an opportunity for you and me to get to know each other and explore whether we are a good fit for working together. It usually lasts around 50鈥�60 minutes. During this session, we will discuss what has brought you to counselling, the challenges you are currently facing, and what you hope to achieve through therapy.

We will also cover practical aspects, including confidentiality, the structure of sessions, and the frequency and format of therapy that might work best for you. I will answer any questions you have about the counselling process, and we can explore your goals, expectations, and any concerns about starting therapy.

My role is to listen, support, and help you feel understood as we begin to map out a way forward. You may leave the session with a clearer sense of your priorities, some practical coping strategies, and an understanding of how we might continue working together.

After the first session, we can discuss next steps, including scheduling future sessions and reviewing what works best for your needs. The aim is to create a collaborative and supportive foundation from the very beginning, so you feel empowered to explore your experiences safely and at your own pace.