Meet Lydia Nightingale

Person-centred counselling, at your pace

I'm Lydia Nightingale, a qualified Person-Centred Counselling Therapist (BA Hons, Dip, MBACP, MBAATN) and registered member of the BACP, with over fifteen years' experience. I provide a warm, supportive and non-judgemental space where you can talk openly about whatever is troubling you. I believe that every person is unique and that, given the right conditions, people have the capacity to grow, heal and make meaningful changes in their lives.

My approach is built on a genuine therapeutic relationship, one of trust, empathy and acceptance. Rather than telling you what to do, I work alongside you, listening carefully and helping you explore your thoughts, feelings and experiences at your own pace. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, loss, low self-esteem, life transitions, or simply feeling stuck, counselling can offer a space to understand yourself better and move towards the life you want to live.

I offer counselling online, by telephone, and face-to-face in Uxbridge, working with individuals and couples. My aim is to create an environment where you feel heard, valued and able to be yourself without fear of judgement.

What brought me to counselling

Having experienced both counselling and loss in my own life, I understand how valuable it can be to have someone alongside you during difficult times. I believe that when people feel safe, accepted, and truly listened to, they often find the strength and wisdom within themselves to make sense of their experiences and move forward.

I aim to provide a warm, accepting space where you can be yourself, explore what matters to you, and discover the strength and wisdom within yourself to move towards growth, healing, and positive change, at your own pace.

My own experiences taught me that many people carry emotional burdens in silence, often feeling they have to cope alone. I was drawn to counselling because I wanted to offer a space where people could feel safe enough to talk honestly about what's happening in their lives, and be accepted exactly as they are.

I've also known the quiet power of counselling personally. When my mother died, counselling gave me the time and space to process my feelings, make sense of my loss, and gradually learn to live alongside my grief. That experience deepened my understanding of how valuable a safe, supportive relationship can be when you're facing difficult emotions.

What continues to inspire me is the courage people show when they begin to explore their experiences, face their challenges, and discover new ways of understanding themselves. It's a privilege to walk alongside my clients as they grow in self-awareness, build resilience, and make the changes that help them live more fulfilling lives.

Where I trained, and the work I've done

I trained at the renowned Metanoia Institute in Ealing, gaining my Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling in 2018 and my BA in Person-Centred Counselling in 2019. I've been in practice for 15 years, working in a person-centred, humanistic way.

I have extensive experience with the Woman's Trust, a specialist organisation supporting recovery from domestic abuse, where I worked with women from a wide range of backgrounds. My interest in relationships led me to complete further training in couples counselling, and I also spent over two years volunteering for a bereavement charity, with additional training in group work.

Alongside my own practice, I collaborate with the Jen Group for peer support, and have contributed to a number of other projects over the years. Working alongside other practitioners keeps my practice connected, reflective and grounded in the wider counselling community.

I'm a poet as well as a counsellor, and I warmly welcome clients who'd like to bring their own creativity into our sessions: written work, pictures, anything that helps. It's never required, but it's there if it helps.