Isla Donaldson , NCPS

Isla Donaldson is a therapist who supports people in reconnecting with themselves and using their direct experience as a resource for living. She helps clients restore balance, a sense of connectedness, and meaning when life feels overwhelming. Isla works in a collaborative, nonjudgmental way, offering presence, understanding, and gentle challenge as she and the client process what is happening in the moment.

Her practice is person-centred and relational, grounded in a belief that each person has an innate capacity for growth. The therapeutic relationship itself is used to support that potential, and the pace and direction of the work are guided by the client’s unique needs. Isla also integrates somatic and trauma-focused methods, attending to in-the-moment bodily sensations and feelings as important sources of information for expanding awareness, processing emotion and memory, and supporting nervous system regulation.

Over the last five years she has worked with both adults and young people on issues such as low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, grief and loss, and complex responses to trauma or abuse, including self-harm and suicidal ideation. Isla holds a first-class BA in Humanistic Counselling Practice and the NCPS credential, which indicates professional training in counselling practice. She has completed further training in somatics and embodiment, integrative somatic trauma therapy, Polyvagal Theory, systemic trauma, Internal Family Systems, attachment theory, sex and sexuality, boundaries and consent, safeguarding, applied suicide intervention and online therapy.

Isla brings a calm, attentive presence to her work and focuses on helping people develop self-awareness, self-acceptance, resilience and a clearer sense of direction.