Ian
Hello, I am Ian and the founder of Connections. I am a neurodivergent professional supporting mental health. I decided to set up a practice to help with mental health development, offering in-person services in Edinburgh and online services across Scotland, the UK, and Europe. I have known times when I have needed the very help that I am now here to provide. I offer a supportive and confidential relationship, stepping into your frame of reference and walking beside you in your experiences.
I work with both the Person-Centered approach and Psychodynamic modalities. I am a counsellor on COSCA’s Register that has been accredited by the Professional Standards Authority. This is recognition of my commitment to high standards. Being on an accredited register demonstrates my commitment to high professional standards, enhancing safety and delivering a better service.
Perhaps you are feeling a little stuck, or wrestling with a sense of overwhelm, despair or even shame that you just can’t shake. This is normal and while you might feel isolated and lonely, you are not alone in this. Maybe you are seeking change in life or personal growth in specific areas. No one is perfect and while many of us aim to be, we all have areas where we can develop for the better.
Together we can discuss where you are and where you want to get to. By understanding your thoughts, focusing on your feelings and exploring your past, the work we will do together will help shine lights in areas that might seem out of reach or hidden. This can help to illuminate your pathways, which we will walk side by side. My door is open to you and, should you choose to walk through it, I will be here to help you help yourself.
In-person and online:
Monday: 9:30am, 10:45am, 12:00pm, 2:30pm, 3:45pm
Tuesday: 9:30am, 10:45am, 12:00pm, 2:30pm, 3:45pm
- Community Rate – from £5 per session. For people on low or no income - Waiting list around 6 months
- Sustainability Rate – from £40 per session. For people on incomes under £30,000 - No waiting list
- Supporter Rate – from £55 per session. For people on incomes over £30,000 - No waiting list
- Corporate rate - from £70 for businesses - No waiting list
Connections operates from a "Choose your contribution" model. These are starting points, not fixed fees. Paying more than the starting rate directly supports someone else to access counselling at a lower cost. This means that, where one person contributes more, another is able to pay less. Any amount over the starting rate goes directly into our Community Rate fund which provides up to 15 sessions to someone for every £600 we raise.
Emily
She/Her/Hers
Hello, I’m Emily, a counsellor based in Edinburgh with a master’s in counselling from the University of Edinburgh and a COSCA-accredited diploma (Feb 2025). I’m also a registered member of the BACP and hold a bachelor’s degree of science in psychology and neuroscience from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (May 2018). I bring a grounded, compassionate presence to my work and a deep respect for the uniqueness of each person’s story.
My approach integrates person-centred and psychodynamic modalities, offering a space where you can feel truly heard and understood. I believe that, even in times of distress, you hold the wisdom and strength needed to move forward—and my role is to walk alongside you as we make sense of where you are and where you want to go.
I’ve supported clients dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, and life transitions, both in longer-term work and in time-limited counselling models. My placements at Hope Park Counselling Centre and Midlothian SureStart allowed me to work with people from a range of backgrounds, including young mothers and those facing economic and social barriers to care. These experiences have shaped my belief in the power of a safe, non-judgmental relationship to support healing and growth.
Like many people, I’ve experienced difficult times in my own life—and I know first hand how powerful it can be to have a dedicated space to process, reflect, and just be. My own experience of therapy helped me find clarity and strength when I needed it most, and it continues to shape the care and respect I bring to this work today.
You may be feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure of how to move forward. Whether you're seeking support for something specific or simply sensing that something isn’t quite right, therapy can offer a place to reconnect with yourself and your direction. Our work together might involve exploring past experiences, understanding emotions more deeply, or setting goals for change—always at your
pace, and always led by what feels meaningful to you. If you’re curious about whether we’d be a good fit, I invite you to get in touch. I’d be honoured to support you on your journey.
In-person & online:
Wednesday: 9:30am, 10:45am, 12:00pm, 1:15pm, 2:30pm
Friday: 1:15pm, 2:30pm, 3:45pm, 5:00pm, 6:15pm, 7:30pm
Monday: 7:30pm
Tuesday: 9:30am, 10:45am
Wednesday 5:00pm, 6:15pm
- Community Rate – from £5 per session. For people on low or no income - Waiting list around 6 months
- Sustainability Rate – from £40 per session. For people on incomes under £30,000 - No waiting list
- Supporter Rate – from £55 per session. For people on incomes over £30,000 - No waiting list
- Corporate rate - from £70 for businesses - No waiting list
Connections operates from a "Choose your contribution" model. These are starting points, not fixed fees. Paying more than the starting rate directly supports someone else to access counselling at a lower cost. This means that, where one person contributes more, another is able to pay less. Any amount over the starting rate goes directly into our Community Rate fund which provides up to 15 sessions to someone for every £600 we raise.
Jerusha
Hi there,
My name is Jerusha Cargay, and I am a qualified and registered BACP counsellor based in Edinburgh. I work in a person-centred way, offering a warm, non-judgemental, and inclusive space where you can explore your emotions and thoughts at your own pace. Together, we can gently navigate connection with yourself and the life around you.
You may be feeling lost, struggling with identity, carrying shame or grief, or living with chronic illness. Perhaps you’ve experienced spiritual abuse and are exploring how spirituality connects with your sense of self. Or maybe you’re noticing how your neurodivergence shapes your everyday life and relationships. These are just a few examples—life isn’t clear-cut, and whatever you bring, you are welcome to show up exactly as you are in our sessions.
I believe in inclusive and accessible therapeutic practice, which means recognising that our personal experiences are also shaped by wider systemic issues. If any of this resonates with you, I’d be glad to hear from you and see whether working together feels like the right fit.
I offer therapy in both English and Nepali.
Appointment times
Tuesday; 5:00pm, 6:15pm 7:30pm
Thursday: 5:00pm, 6:15pm 7:30pm
- Community Rate – from £5 per session. For people on low or no income - Waiting list around 6 months
- Sustainability Rate – from £40 per session. For people on incomes under £30,000 - No waiting list
- Supporter Rate – from £55 per session. For people on incomes over £30,000 - No waiting list
- Corporate rate - from £70 for businesses - No waiting list
Connections operates from a "Choose your contribution" model. These are starting points, not fixed fees. Paying more than the starting rate directly supports someone else to access counselling at a lower cost. This means that, where one person contributes more, another is able to pay less. Any amount over the starting rate goes directly into our Community Rate fund which provides up to 15 sessions to someone for every £600 we raise.
Leo
Leo Hagmeier
If you find yourself getting stuck on certain topics, going around in circles in your head, or lying awake at night when the distractions fade and your thoughts take over – you're not alone, and there is a way forward.
As someone who has travelled both literally and metaphorically through life's challenges, I understand the courage it takes to seek support. My own journey from engineering to counselling has taken me from the Netherlands through several countries before settling in Scotland, where I now practice in Edinburgh. Along the way, I've learned multiple languages and, more importantly, learned to speak the language of healing through my own therapeutic experience.
Having walked the path of therapy myself, I know firsthand how it can help break those exhausting cycles of stuck thinking. I've experienced the relief of finally finding a way out of mental loops that once felt inescapable.
I create a therapeutic environment that is safe enough to explore potentially challenging topics, yet challenging enough to allow for genuine growth. Drawing on person-centred and psychodynamic principles, I don't just observe your journey – I come along with you, offering support as you navigate whatever terrain lies ahead.
Whether you're dealing with recurring thoughts that won't quiet, feeling trapped in familiar patterns, or simply seeking deeper understanding of yourself, I'm here to walk alongside you.
Additional about text if needed
Appointment times:
Wednesday: 10:45am to 7:30pm
Thursdays 6:15pm and 7:30pm
Fridays 10:45am to 7:30pm
£1-50/hr - please see our tiered fee structure
Leo Hagmeier
If you find yourself getting stuck on certain topics, going around in circles in your head, or lying awake at night when the distractions fade and your thoughts take over – you're not alone, and there is a way forward.
As someone who has travelled both literally and metaphorically through life's challenges, I understand the courage it takes to seek support. My own journey from engineering to counselling has taken me from the Netherlands through several countries before settling in Scotland, where I now practice in Edinburgh. Along the way, I've learned multiple languages and, more importantly, learned to speak the language of healing through my own therapeutic experience.
Having walked the path of therapy myself, I know firsthand how it can help break those exhausting cycles of stuck thinking. I've experienced the relief of finally finding a way out of mental loops that once felt inescapable.
I create a therapeutic environment that is safe enough to explore potentially challenging topics, yet challenging enough to allow for genuine growth. Drawing on person-centred and psychodynamic principles, I don't just observe your journey – I come along with you, offering support as you navigate whatever terrain lies ahead.
Whether you're dealing with recurring thoughts that won't quiet, feeling trapped in familiar patterns, or simply seeking deeper understanding of yourself, I'm here to walk alongside you.
Additional about text if needed
Appointment times:
Wednesday: 10:45am to 7:30pm
Thursdays 6:15pm and 7:30pm
Fridays 10:45am to 7:30pm
£1-50/hr - please see our tiered fee structure
Leo
If you find yourself getting stuck on certain topics, going around in circles in your head, or lying awake at night when the distractions fade and your thoughts take over – you're not alone, and there is a way forward.
As someone who has travelled both literally and metaphorically through life's challenges, I understand the courage it takes to seek support. My own journey from engineering to counselling has taken me from the Netherlands through several countries before settling in Scotland, where I now practice in Edinburgh. Along the way, I've learned multiple languages and, more importantly, learned to speak the language of healing through my own therapeutic experience.
Having walked the path of therapy myself, I know firsthand how it can help break those exhausting cycles of stuck thinking. I've experienced the relief of finally finding a way out of mental loops that once felt inescapable.
I create a therapeutic environment that is safe enough to explore potentially challenging topics, yet challenging enough to allow for genuine growth. Drawing on person-centred and psychodynamic principles, I don't just observe your journey – I come along with you, offering support as you navigate whatever terrain lies ahead.
Whether you're dealing with recurring thoughts that won't quiet, feeling trapped in familiar patterns, or simply seeking deeper understanding of yourself, I'm here to walk alongside you.
Appointment times:
Tuesdays: 5:00pm, 6:15pm, 7:30pm
Wednesday: 3:45pm, 5:00pm, 6:15pm, 7:30pm
- Community Rate – from £5 per session. For people on low or no income - Waiting list around 6 months
- Sustainability Rate – from £40 per session. For people on incomes under £30,000 - No waiting list
- Supporter Rate – from £55 per session. For people on incomes over £30,000 - No waiting list
- Corporate rate - from £70 for businesses - No waiting list
Connections operates from a "Choose your contribution" model. These are starting points, not fixed fees. Paying more than the starting rate directly supports someone else to access counselling at a lower cost. This means that, where one person contributes more, another is able to pay less. Any amount over the starting rate goes directly into our Community Rate fund which provides up to 15 sessions to someone for every £600 we raise.
Jessica
So many people I meet in therapy are tired — not just physically, but from constantly holding everything together. They’ve spent years taking care of others, keeping up appearances, trying to be good, capable, kind. Underneath, there’s often a quiet ache: When do I get to just be myself?
In our sessions, you don’t have to perform or edit yourself. You can be messy, uncertain, emotional, or even contradictory — and it’s all welcome. I hold space with warmth and honesty, so you can begin to meet yourself with that same acceptance.
I often work with women or men who feel disconnected from their own needs, creativity, or sense of self-worth. Together we explore what’s been shaping those patterns, gently building the safety and courage to live with more authenticity and ease.
My approach is person-centred, trauma-informed, and psychodynamic. I also draw on somatic and art therapy principles — exploring how the body and creative process can support expression, regulation, and self-understanding — though our work might simply take the form of meaningful conversation.
The key, as I see it, is already inside you. Therapy simply helps you remember how to turn it.
Appointment times:
Thursday: 9:30am, 10:45am, 12:00pm, 1:15pm, 2:30pm, 3:45pm
- Community Rate – from £5 per session. For people on low or no income - Waiting list around 6 months
- Sustainability Rate – from £40 per session. For people on incomes under £30,000 - No waiting list
- Supporter Rate – from £55 per session. For people on incomes over £30,000 - No waiting list
- Corporate rate - from £70 for businesses - No waiting list
Connections operates from a "Choose your contribution" model. These are starting points, not fixed fees. Paying more than the starting rate directly supports someone else to access counselling at a lower cost. This means that, where one person contributes more, another is able to pay less. Any amount over the starting rate goes directly into our Community Rate fund which provides up to 15 sessions to someone for every £600 we raise.
Rachel
Hi there - I'm Rachel, a CBT Therapist based in Edinburgh. I offer a compassionate space to help you better understand yourself and develop ways to navigate life’s challenges. It’s important that therapy is a place where you feel safe to explore any emotion or experience that may be standing in the way of living fully and authentically.
You may be here as you're experiencing anxiety, low self-esteem, low mood, relationship difficulties, or a general sense of feeling stuck, lost or overwhelmed. While I specialise in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), I also draw on person-centred approaches to ensure therapy feels genuinely tailored to you. I believe everyone already has the inner resources needed to grow and heal—it just takes the right support to help them flourish.
Through a non-judgmental, inclusive, and encouraging approach, we’ll explore the thoughts and behaviours that may be holding you back. Life can be overwhelming at times, but with small changes it's possible to take back some control.
Feel free to get in touch to arrange a short no-obligation call to explore what you're looking to get out of therapy.
Appointment times:
Thursdays - 3:45pm, 5pm, 6:15pm, 7:30pm
- Community Rate – from £5 per session. For people on low or no income - Waiting list around 6 months
- Sustainability Rate – from £40 per session. For people on incomes under £30,000 - No waiting list
- Supporter Rate – from £55 per session. For people on incomes over £30,000 - No waiting list
- Corporate rate - from £70 for businesses - No waiting list
Connections operates from a "Choose your contribution" model. These are starting points, not fixed fees. Paying more than the starting rate directly supports someone else to access counselling at a lower cost. This means that, where one person contributes more, another is able to pay less. Any amount over the starting rate goes directly into our Community Rate fund which provides up to 15 sessions to someone for every £600 we raise.
Mahika
Hello! My name is Mahika Bhojani, and I am a COSCA qualified and BACP registered counsellor based in Edinburgh.
My work draws on psychodynamic and person-centred approaches, in which I explore with you how your past experiences may influence your present ones. With this, I wish to create a warm, empathic, and genuine space where you can feel safe enough to reflect, grow, and heal, at your own pace and in your own way. I am inspired by the collaborative nature of therapy, where the therapeutic space is something my client and I co-create. Over time, this shared space becomes a place for reflection, understanding and growth.
Born and raised in India, I have always been surrounded by a strong sense of community that has shaped my understanding of growth, resilience, and connection. My practice is grounded in the idea of wholeness, of holding together the many threads that each person brings with them. Therapy, to me, is of rediscovery and a gentle return home to yourself.
My experience in the field of harm reduction has shaped how I engage with individual experiences with compassion and curiosity. I recognise that the ways we cope, survive, or navigate life are often complex and deeply personal. I offer a space where you can explore these experiences, reflect on what they mean to you and how they connect to your emotions, relationships and sense of self.
You may be navigating cultural expectations, feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected, or simply looking for a space that can hold your vulnerabilities. Whatever brings you to therapy, we can take the time to explore it together.
In-person - Edinburgh - From June 2026
Online - UK wide
Appointment times:
Currently online only - please enquire for appointments
- Community Rate – from £5 per session. For people on low or no income - Waiting list around 6 months
- Sustainability Rate – from £40 per session. For people on incomes under £30,000 - No waiting list
- Supporter Rate – from £55 per session. For people on incomes over £30,000 - No waiting list
- Corporate rate - from £70 for businesses - No waiting list
Connections operates from a "Choose your contribution" model. These are starting points, not fixed fees. Paying more than the starting rate directly supports someone else to access counselling at a lower cost. This means that, where one person contributes more, another is able to pay less. Any amount over the starting rate goes directly into our Community Rate fund which provides up to 15 sessions to someone for every £600 we raise.
Emmy
Hi there, my name is Emmy and I am an integrative counsellor mainly working from psychodynamic and person-centred perspectives. In this way, I aim to co-create a space where we can work together to explore the parts of life that feel too overwhelming to handle alone.
Although we can never fully comprehend another’s experience, we all have the need to feel authentically seen and accepted. My practice is fostered on the attempt to understand as much as I possibly can about the person sitting across from me. I aim to do this with patience, open-minded curiosity, and without judgement. For the time that we are together, I will accompany you as we explore whatever you choose to bring into our sessions.
Like a driver and passenger on an open-ended road trip, I may provide some navigational points if we get lost or if the road ahead is unclear, but you ultimately control where we go. It is my hope that by providing a consistent presence, we can eventually traverse paths that might have otherwise been impossible to go down alone.
I am particularly interested in working with neurodivergent folks, and individuals with caring experience/responsibilities. I strive to make my practice as inclusive as possible and welcome folks from all different identities and backgrounds.
You are welcome here and I am grateful for your trust. I would be honoured to hear your story.
In-person - Edinburgh
Online - throughout the UK
Person-Centered
Psychodynamic
Appointment times:
Fridays: 9:30am, 10:45am, 12:00pm
- Community Rate – from £5 per session. For people on low or no income - Waiting list around 6 months
- Sustainability Rate – from £40 per session. For people on incomes under £30,000 - No waiting list
- Supporter Rate – from £55 per session. For people on incomes over £30,000 - No waiting list
- Corporate rate - from £70 for businesses - No waiting list
Connections operates from a "Choose your contribution" model. These are starting points, not fixed fees. Paying more than the starting rate directly supports someone else to access counselling at a lower cost. This means that, where one person contributes more, another is able to pay less. Any amount over the starting rate goes directly into our Community Rate fund which provides up to 15 sessions to someone for every £600 we raise.
Holly
Hi there, I'm Holly (she/her), an integrative therapist rooted in anti-oppressive, non-pathologizing perspectives. I bring 8 years of experience in the mental health field, including as a music therapist in the United States, and more recently as a therapist based in the Leith area. I have extensive experience working with people who have experienced trauma rooted in difference – including race, neurodivergence, disability, size, and identity – as well as grief, anxiety, depression, and childhood trauma.
Therapy, to me, is a relational space – somewhere to collaboratively explore what you're carrying, where it comes from, and how it's showing up now. We might look at what comes up from the past, the familial or societal messages that have gradually shaped you, and the patterns that once helped you survive but may now feel limiting. Rather than labelling these patterns as problems to fix, I see them as meaningful information – signals of what once kept you safe, and guides toward where growth and change might be possible. I want to create a space free of 'shoulds' about what to bring or where to start – I move with you, at your pace.
Anti-oppressive practice is the foundation of how I work. At its core, it is a commitment to creating a space where you in your unique experiences feel genuinely seen and held. This means bringing openness to your lived identity and its complexity, while staying accountable and justice-focused. I also bring a deep curiosity about not just what lives within you, but how the injustices of the wider world may have shaped your inner experience. As someone mixed-race, multicultural, and from an immigrant family, I have a personal understanding of feeling labelled and othered – and it has moved me toward liberatory ways of understanding the human experience. Therapy can be a space to look at the ways you've had to adjust to injustice or harm, and to begin making sense of and transforming those experiences together.
Whatever led you to this moment of choosing to start therapy, our work together begins with witnessing you fully and without judgment — exploring the pain, your felt truths, and attending to where they live, in the body or otherwise, and what they might be telling us. From there, transformation and rebuilding become possible.
If any of this resonates, I'd love to hear from you. I offer a free 15-minute introductory call – a chance to bring any questions or gauge whether we might be a good fit, as well as for us to get our first sense of each other.
In-person & online:
Wednesday: 8:15am, 9:30am, 1:15pm, 2:30pm
Online only:
Friday: 2:30pm to 5:30pm
- Community Rate – from £5 per session. For people on low or no income - Waiting list around 6 months
- Sustainability Rate – from £40 per session. For people on incomes under £30,000 - No waiting list
- Supporter Rate – from £55 per session. For people on incomes over £30,000 - No waiting list
- Corporate rate - from £70 for businesses - No waiting list
Connections operates from a "Choose your contribution" model. These are starting points, not fixed fees. Paying more than the starting rate directly supports someone else to access counselling at a lower cost. This means that, where one person contributes more, another is able to pay less. Any amount over the starting rate goes directly into our Community Rate fund which provides up to 15 sessions to someone for every £600 we raise.
Emily Y
Hi, I’m Emily. I’m an integrative therapist specialising in both anxiety and ADHD.
Anxiety can make even ordinary life feel like something to survive. The what-ifs, the replaying, the bracing for something that may never come. It's an exhausting way to live, and after a while you can't imagine feeling any other way.
ADHD can leave you feeling like your mind is working against you. The chaos at home, the missed deadlines, and the grief of knowing what you're capable of and not getting there. Not laziness, just a mind that works differently.
If either of those resonates, you're in the right place.
I work with people experiencing anxiety in many forms, whether that's health anxiety, fear of death, relationship worries, sleep difficulties, or a stress that just won't let up. I also support people with ADHD, or those wondering if they might have it, in navigating the difficulties that often come alongside it: depression, low self-esteem, procrastination, burnout, relationship difficulties, and anxiety too.
I know what it's like to live with both anxiety and ADHD, not just as a therapist but as someone who's been there. Therapy helped me move from exhaustion and shame to clarity, lightness and self-acceptance - and knowing that from the inside shapes the care I bring to this work.
In our work together, we take time to understand how you got here and what's keeping you stuck. We work through difficult emotions rather than push them away, and gradually build habits that make a real difference.
My training spans Psychology of Mental Health (MSc), Psychotherapy (PGDip), and Philosophy (MA). My approach is integrative, with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Existential Therapy at its core. I also draw on behavioural science where it helps changes to take root.
Before training as a therapist, I spent over ten years with the UN alongside some of the most vulnerable people in conflict-affected countries. That work gave me something I carry into every session: an empathy for our shared suffering and a belief in our resilience.
In-person - Edinburgh
Online - UK wide
In-person
Wednesday: 9:30am, 10:45am, 12pm
Online
Wednesday: 2:30pm, 3:40pm
- Community Rate – from £5 per session. For people on low or no income - Waiting list around 6 months
- Sustainability Rate – from £40 per session. For people on incomes under £30,000 - No waiting list
- Supporter Rate – from £55 per session. For people on incomes over £30,000 - No waiting list
- Corporate rate - from £70 for businesses - No waiting list
Connections operates from a "Choose your contribution" model. These are starting points, not fixed fees. Paying more than the starting rate directly supports someone else to access counselling at a lower cost. This means that, where one person contributes more, another is able to pay less. Any amount over the starting rate goes directly into our Community Rate fund which provides up to 15 sessions to someone for every £600 we raise.
Laila
Hello, I’m Laila (she/her).
I aim to offer a space where you can talk openly about what’s been going on for you, at a pace that feels comfortable. You might be feeling overwhelmed, stuck in familiar patterns, or carrying something that’s difficult to put into words. Therapy can be a place to pause, make sense of your experience, and reconnect with yourself more gently.
Training & Experience
I have an MSc in Counselling (Interpersonal Dialogue) from the University of Edinburgh, a program integrating person-centered and psychodynamic traditions. I also hold a Certificate in Humanistic Counselling from Therapy Works. I have gained clinical experience at Hope Park Counselling Centre and PF Counselling Service, where I have worked with a culturally diverse range of clients. My practice is grounded in over 200 hours of supervised client work, ongoing clinical supervision, and adherence to COSCA and BACP ethical guidelines.
How I Work
My approach is relational, person-centered, and psychodynamically informed. I focus on building a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship, grounded in empathy, presence, and a non-judgmental way of being. Alongside this, I remain attentive to deeper patterns - such as attachment, past experiences, and unconscious processes - that may shape how you relate to yourself and others.
I don’t see therapy as applying fixed methods. Terms like “person-centered” or “psychodynamic” can sometimes sound technical, but for me they simply sit in the background, helping me listen and respond in a way that stays close to your experience. At the heart of my work is a simple intention: to stay with you, and to understand your experience as it unfolds.
My Approach to Therapy
I believe healing is not about fixing yourself - it’s about developing a deeper understanding of yourself with care, curiosity, and compassion. Our work together may involve gently exploring emotional experiences, noticing patterns in relationships, making sense of past experiences, and reconnecting with your own inner voice.
Sometimes what feels unclear or overwhelming begins to take shape when it is given space and attention. Emotional pain, when approached safely, can become a doorway to insight and change - not because suffering is something to seek, but because being met within it allows something new to emerge.
Areas I Work With
I work with adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, relational and attachment difficulties, life transitions, and questions around identity. Whether your experiences feel clear or difficult to name, you are welcome to bring whatever feels important.
As someone who has lived between cultures, I understand how deeply our emotional world is shaped not only by personal experience, but also by family, community, and wider social systems. This shapes my commitment to culturally responsive practice - one that remains open, curious, and respectful of meanings that may sit beyond dominant psychological frameworks.
What to Expect
Therapy here is collaborative, reflective, and paced around you. It is a space where you don’t need to have everything figured out, and where your experiences are met with care and without judgement. You are welcome to bring uncertainty, complexity, and whatever feels difficult to hold alone.
Getting Started
Taking the first step toward therapy can feel overwhelming. I offer a free 15-minute introductory call where you can ask questions, get a sense of how I work, and see whether we might be a good fit.
hello@connectionscounselling.co.uk
In person - Edinburgh
Online - throughout the UK
In-person and online:
Thursday: 8:00, 9:30am, 10:45am
Saturday: 10:45, 12:00
Online only:
Tuesday and Wednesday: 8:00, 9:30am, 10:45am
- Community Rate – from £5 per session. For people on low or no income - Waiting list around 6 months
- Sustainability Rate – from £40 per session. For people on incomes under £30,000 - No waiting list
- Supporter Rate – from £55 per session. For people on incomes over £30,000 - No waiting list
- Corporate rate - from £70 for businesses - No waiting list
Connections operates from a "Choose your contribution" model. These are starting points, not fixed fees. Paying more than the starting rate directly supports someone else to access counselling at a lower cost. This means that, where one person contributes more, another is able to pay less. Any amount over the starting rate goes directly into our Community Rate fund which provides up to 15 sessions to someone for every £600 we raise.
Zaid
Hello, I’m Zaid. I’m a person-centred and experiential psychotherapist. My work brings together the person-centred approach and emotion-focused practice to support individuals navigating stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, identity questions, and times of change. I have particular experience working with neurodivergence, cross-cultural identities, and feelings of burnout, overwhelm, or disconnection.
I’m a third culture individual and grew up within the Arab diaspora and international communities, and that shapes how I listen and work with people in the therapy room. That particular “in-between” feeling isn’t abstract to me, and I know what it’s like to translate yourself in different places.
My work is grounded in empathy and deep respect for your autonomy. That means: I don’t push an agenda or tell you who you should become; I follow your pace, not the fastest or the one you think you should be at; I’m attentive to culture, identity, power, and the ways we learn to survive; and I hold space for complexity, contradiction, and all the parts you’ve had to hide. I’m influenced by liberation and queer psychology, and anti-oppressive practice.
Alongside my MSc and COSCA training, I have over 12 years of experience working in mental health and community settings. This has included supporting autistic adults through diagnostic and post-diagnosis pathways, working with individuals around relationships and emotional wellbeing, and offering therapy within LGBTQ+ communities.
I’m also a musician. Listening is physical for me. I notice pace, pauses, shifts in tone, and when something tender shows up. We will sit together and notice what is already there, what is unsaid, and the things that carry more weight than the words themselves.
You’re welcome to bring your stories - your contradictions - your doubts - your imagination. I’m interested in who you are beneath expectations.
Counselling modalities: person-centred, emotion-focused (EFT)
hello@connectionscounselling.co.uk
In person - Edinburgh
Online - throughout the UK
In-person and online:
Wednesday: 1:15pm, 2:30pm
Saturday: 9:30am,10:45am
Online only:
Please enquire for availability
- Community Rate – from £5 per session. For people on low / no income - Waiting list around 6 months
- Sustainability Rate – from £40 per session. For people on incomes under £30,000 - No waiting list
- Supporter Rate – from £55 per session. For people on incomes over £30,000 - No waiting list
- Corporate rate - from £70 for businesses - No waiting list
Connections operates from a "Choose your contribution" model. These are starting points, not fixed fees. Paying more than the starting rate directly supports someone else to access counselling at a lower cost. This means that, where one person contributes more, another is able to pay less. Any amount over the starting rate goes directly into our Community Rate fund which provides up to 15 sessions to someone for every £600 we raise.
Affiliated Counsellors
Please note; all affiliated counsellors work with their own values and systems. For example, they might not offer a no-fee cancellation policy and it is important you understand any differences between them and Connections Core Values.
David Morris Counselling
My name is David and I am a counsellor, based in central Edinburgh.
I practise person-centred and psychodynamic counselling and offer
indoor, online and outdoor therapy options. I have experience working with a diverse range of clients, on issues including anxiety, depression, loneliness, abuse, bereavement, eating disorder, self-harm, trauma and more.
The focus of my work is the therapeutic relationship and in developing a trusting connection by being empathic, authentic, supportive and non-judgemental. Being a counsellor is more than a job to me, it is a passion. To be in the presence of someone discovering and accepting who they are, finding a sense of healing and feeling empowered to achieve their full potential, is also a privilege.
I am based in a new, purpose built, counselling space for in person sessions (available on Monday and Tuesday).
This is a private room with separate waiting area, set within the creative, inclusive hub of the Out of the Blue Drill Hall. I also have online and outdoor availability on Friday and Saturday (full details below).
Out of the Blue Drill Hall
36 Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh, EH6 8RG (about halfway down Leith Walk)
Monday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tuesday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Friday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (online or walking therapy only)
Saturday: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm (online or walking therapy only)
Ali Davison
Hello, I’m Ali (she/they), a BACP-registered counsellor.
I work from a pluralistic framework, which means I recognise and value the individuality of your experiences and preferences. I don’t believe there is just one “right” way to do therapy so I draw on different theories and techniques depending on what feels most helpful and meaningful to you.
At the heart of my practice is a person-centred approach. This means I aim to offer an authentic relationship built on empathy, care and respect, where you feel heard and accepted as you are.
I’m particularly drawn to supporting people who know what it is to feel on the outside of things, misunderstood, overlooked, or different in some way. I have worked therapeutically with a diverse range of issues, including relational trauma, self-harm, loss and grief, neurodivergence, and LGBTQIA+ identities and experiences.
I also have experience of supporting people to deal with the impact of sexual assault and abuse. If this is part of your own story, I hope that you will feel safe enough sharing this with me if and when you choose to.
I am deeply committed to working in a non-pathologising way: I understand that the struggles bringing you to therapy are often shaped by wider social and cultural contexts, not just individual factors. My hope is to provide a space where your feelings and experiences can be met with compassion and understood within that broader picture.
Please feel welcome to get in touch if you feel I may be the right fit for you.
In-Person
Saturday: 9:30am, 10:45am, 12pm - Currently full, please inquire about a waiting list.
Online
Monday to Friday: Please inquire for further information
