Hello, I’m Sue
I’m a counsellor and clinical supervisor offering online therapy and supervision across the UK. I work with adults who have been holding things together for a long time and are now feeling overwhelmed, close to burnout, or at a point where something needs to change.
Many of the people I work with are late-diagnosed or self-identified neurodivergent adults, survivors of childhood abuse, and people questioning identity, including trans clients. I aim to offer a calm, compassionate and gender-affirming space where you do not need to explain or justify who you are.
I’m based in Sheffield and work online via Zoom. I also share my home with two cats who occasionally make an appearance in sessions — particularly around meal times.
How I came to this work
Before training as a counsellor, I worked in a range of sectors including hospitality, the legal sector, pensions, investments and insurance. Returning to education marked a significant shift, driven by a desire to work more meaningfully and relationally with people.
My early counselling work was within domestic abuse services — an area I have since returned to and continue to work in. I currently support survivors of physical, emotional, psychological, financial and sexual abuse, including adults who experienced abuse in childhood. I also have extensive experience working with adult survivors of childhood sexual exploitation, including those affected by grooming gangs, supporting them with shame, self-blame and the long-term impact on identity and relationships.
In the NHS, I worked as a counsellor supporting adults diagnosed with autism, many of whom were diagnosed later in life. Therapy often focused on making sense of past experiences through a neurodivergent lens, processing feelings around diagnosis, and exploring identity in a way that felt personal rather than prescriptive.
I have also worked with university students in both counselling and wellbeing mentoring roles, supporting people with stress, anxiety, workload pressures, loss, relationships, identity development and transitions.
Values and approach
My work is trauma-informed and non-pathologising. I do not see trauma responses, neurodivergence or difference as problems within a person to be fixed. Instead, I understand distress as something that develops in response to experiences, relationships and wider social and cultural contexts.
I work in a way that is led by you. Some people need space and silence to process; others find silence difficult and want more support or structure. I will always check in with you and adapt to what feels most helpful.
I am an LGBT+ ally and have worked with many clients across the LGBT+ community, including people at different stages of transitioning. While gender and sexuality may be central to some people’s work, I also respect that these identities may not be the primary reason someone seeks counselling.
Qualifications and training
- BSc Psychology – Sheffield Hallam University
- Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling and Psychotherapy – Temenos Education
- Supervision in the Helping Professions – University of Salford
- MSc Advanced Counselling and Supervision – University of Salford (final year)
My current research explores the impact of early childhood trauma on people going through the menopause.
Susan Coldwell Counselling and Supervision 