Meet our Therapists

Find the right therapist for you from our team of independent, highly trained and professional therapists here at Evolve Counselling & Therapy Centre in Leeds. They have a wealth of experience of working with people from all walks of life and have helped many people over the years with all kinds of difficulties.

Our therapists offer a wide range of therapies,

Person centred, humanist therapy
Psychodynamic psychotherapy
Integrative therapy
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy (EMDR or trauma therapy)
Play therapy
Neurolinguistic programming (NLP)
Hypnotherapy
Clinical Psychology
Coaching
Couples Therapy

You can find out more information on each of these therapies here.

To choose the most suitable session for your needs, we advise our clients to browse our team of therapists. When you find someone on your wavelength who you feel you could connect with, you can book an initial session using our enquiry form.

Finding the right person is very important – you need to feel comfortable with your therapist so you can get the most out of your sessions. It can take some time to find a therapist who you fully trust, and sometimes you may need to visit a few therapists before you find the right fit. The most important thing is getting the right help for your needs, so don’t worry about shopping around.

Our therapists offer private sessions to adults, children, teens, young people and couples, and specialise in short-, medium-, and long-term counselling, psychotherapy, hypnotherapy and coaching. Some therapists offer online sessions as well as in-person sessions at our therapy centre in Leeds. No matter what challenges you are facing in your life, our team is here to help you. Click on the images below to find out more information and each individual therapist’s rates.

Supervision for trainee and qualified therapists in Yorkshire

The British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) requires all therapists to receive a minimum of 90 minutes of supervision each month.

Supervision can help you stay up to date with the latest research in your field, as well as supporting you to increase your skills and deliver specific interventions.

Several of our therapists offer professional clinical supervision for both individual trainee and qualified counsellors, in a safe, supportive environment.

Counsellors & Therapists | Adults

Dorota Podjaska Psychotherapist & Clinical Hypnotherapist From £100
Ian Swanston | Adults & young people · EMDR | From £55
Josh Whaley | Adults · Trauma & relationships | From £75
Nicola Heptinstall | Adults, children & supervision | From £60
Caroline Webb | Adults · Psychotherapy- £70
Emma Hetherington | Adults · Counselling | From £60
Francesca Thirlwell | Adults · Therapy & coaching | From £60
Shez Hashmi | Adults & young people · CBT & attachment | From £65
Jane Hickson | Adults & couples · Integrative counselling | From £60
Heather Pearce : £55 Individuals / £65 Couples
Aaron Bell | Adults · Counselling | From £50
Susannah Barnes | Adults · Anxiety, trauma & life changes | From £67
Will Jones | Adults From £60
Frank Brinkley | Adults · Person-centred therapy | From £60
Joanne Austin | Adults, children & couples | From £60
Madeleine Hills | Adults & young people | From £50

Psychotherapist & Clinical Hypnotherapist

Adults · Attachment, relational trauma & hypnotherapy · From £100

From the outside, you appear capable, successful and dependable often the person others rely on. Inside, however, you can feel anxious, emotionally exhausted, disconnected from your needs or caught in patterns you understand but cannot seem to change.

Dorota specialises in supporting high-functioning adults – often professionals, business owners, leaders and carers, who are used to holding everything together for everyone else. She welcomes clients from a wide range of backgrounds.

Approach

Dorota offers a warm, relational and heart-centred approach grounded in psychological theory and trauma-informed practice. Her Embodied Secure Self Method™ brings together:

Integrative relational psychotherapy
Attachment-focused therapy
Hypnotherapy and subconscious work
Inner-child, reparenting and parts work
Somatic awareness and nervous-system regulation

Specialisms

Dorota works with clients experiencing:

Attachment and relationship difficulties
Relational and complex trauma
Anxiety, overthinking and emotional overwhelm
People-pleasing, perfectionism and over-responsibility
Low self-worth, shame and self-criticism
Boundaries and difficulty expressing needs
Suppressed anger, burnout and emotional disconnection
The exhaustion of always having to be strong

Ways of Working Together

Weekly therapy: 50- or 75-minute psychotherapy or hypnotherapy sessions. Hypnotherapy can be offered separately or integrated into longer-term psychotherapy.
Therapeutic Journeys: personalised three- or six-month programmes combining weekly 75-minute sessions, structured voice or text support, at least three points of therapeutic contact each week and personalised recordings and resources.

Work Experience

Dorota brings close to a decade of experience across private practice, community mental health, residential care, crisis support, education and NHS inpatient services. She has supported adults experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, attachment and relationship difficulties, emotional dysregulation, autism, learning disabilities and complex mental health needs.

Her background includes conducting psychological assessments and formulations, delivering psychologically informed interventions and helping clients develop emotional regulation, independence and practical self-management skills. She has also contributed to therapeutic work within the NHS Yorkshire Centre for Eating Disorders, provided person-centred crisis support and designed mental health resources promoting emotional literacy, resilience and self-regulation within primary-school communities.

Qualifications

Postgraduate Diploma in Integrative Counselling
Postgraduate Certificate in Psychotherapy and Counselling
MSc Health Psychology
BSc (Hons) Psychology

Professional Memberships

Registered Member of the BACP
Registered Clinical Hypnotherapist with the General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR)

Appointments and Fees

Dorota offers in-person appointments at Evolve in Leeds on Wednesdays, alongside online appointments.

£100 – 50-minute session
£140 – 75-minute extended session
£500 – six-session psychotherapy package
Therapeutic Journeys from £3,000

A complimentary 20-minute Clarity Call is available to explore the most appropriate way of working together.

Monday Appointments are for online sessions only.

Book an Appointment

Counsellors & Therapists - Young People & Children

Heather Pearce : £55 Individuals / £65 Couples
Ian Swanston | Adults & young people · EMDR | From £55
Joanne Austin | Adults, children & couples | From £60
Nicola Heptinstall | Adults, children & supervision | From £60
Shez Hashmi | Adults & young people · CBT & attachment | From £65

Counselling:

Heather is a qualified and experienced Counsellor, Couples Counsellor and Clinical Supervisor with over 14 years’ experience of supporting children, young people and adults.

Heather offers a friendly, confidential counselling service using a client centred approach. With experience of working with a wide range of issues, she integrates her knowledge and skills to ensure the best results for her clients. Heather offers short, medium, and long-term counselling work, based on individual needs, allowing clients the space to feel heard, and explore issues at their own pace, in a safe, non-judgemental and professional environment.

Heather works in partnership with her clients to help them build trust, self-awareness, understanding and acceptance. As well as working in Private Practice, she has over 13 years of experience of working in both organisational and school settings, with a sound understanding of professional boundaries.

Taking the first step to reach out for help can be daunting. Working with you therapeutically, Heather can help you gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts and feelings and work with you to make positive changes.

Membership:

Registered member of the BACP

Qualifications:

Diploma in Counselling Diploma in working with Children and Adolescents
Diploma in the Practice of Supervision Certificate in Couples Work ASSIST- Applied Suicide Interventions Skills Training UKATA Introductory Transaction Analysis 101
Diploma in Child Behaviour Diploma in Depression Management Safeguarding Children: Level 1 – Level 4

Work Experience:

In addition to working in Private Practice Heather also works for Escayp (Emotional Support for Children and Young People), as Sessional Counsellor and Service Manager.

Prior to Counselling, Heather’s work experience was in the Retail Sector and Retail Management for over 17 years. Heather has a sound understanding of Corporate settings and the pressures involved in working in these environments.

Rate:

£55 – Individual

£65 Couples

Student rates negotiable

Book an Appointment

Jo is a BACP registered and accredited counsellor and psychotherapist. She works with Adults, Families, Children and Couples over a number of years and has a wide range of experience. She also specialises in working with people living with Dementia and their Carers.

Jo has been a therapeutic counsellor for a number of years, counselling people from all walks of life. She initially started out at a charity in the centre of Leeds that was set up to help people suffering from drug and alcohol abuse.

Jo enabled the service to grow which lead to other vulnerable groups obtaining counselling. Seeing the service continuing to grow Jo decided to look at where issues generally start… in our childhood. This led her to complete a Diploma in Counselling Children and Adolescents. To further her experience of working with young people she works for 2 children’s charities based in West Yorkshire and Kirklees.

Jo’s experience and training has equipped her to work with individuals, children, adolescents, couples and families; to help them to overcome a range of psychological and emotional issues which may be at the root of their distress.

Jo is able to support you to address difficult feelings and behaviours; working closely alongside you, enabling you to understand your inner conflicts and improve ways in which you relate to others. She can help you to identify new strategies to address your difficulties. You will be treated with respect and given the freedom to fully explore and express your feelings without the fear of being judged.

Counselling can be a unique experience, allowing you to feel truly listened to and understood, and also allowing you to get to know the “real you”. This can provide you with a chance to try out a new way of being; safe in the knowledge that you will receive the empathy and support you may require to help you through a difficult period in life.

Membership:

Accredited member of the BACP

Qualifications:

Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy Diploma in working with Children and Adolescents.
Certificate in working with Couples.

Work Experience:

Set up and ran the Counselling Service known as “The Living Project” working with people living with Dementia and their carers. This project was supported and evaluated by Leeds Becketts University and the findings published in “The Cambridge University Press” and ” Ageing & Society”magazines.
Cruse Bereavement Care Volunteer
Escayp Childrens Charity Counsellor
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Counsellor
Counsellor and Supervisor network for Leeds Becketts University

Rate:

£60 – Individuals
£75 – Couples
£75 – Families

Book an Appointment

Counsellors & Therapists - Couples

Heather Pearce : £55 Individuals / £65 Couples
Jane Hickson | Adults & couples · Integrative counselling | From £60
Joanne Austin | Adults, children & couples | From £60

Counselling:

Heather is a qualified and experienced Counsellor, Couples Counsellor and Clinical Supervisor with over 14 years’ experience of supporting children, young people and adults.

Membership:

Registered member of the BACP

Qualifications:

Diploma in Counselling Diploma in working with Children and Adolescents
Diploma in the Practice of Supervision Certificate in Couples Work ASSIST- Applied Suicide Interventions Skills Training UKATA Introductory Transaction Analysis 101
Diploma in Child Behaviour Diploma in Depression Management Safeguarding Children: Level 1 – Level 4

Work Experience:

In addition to working in Private Practice Heather also works for Escayp (Emotional Support for Children and Young People), as Sessional Counsellor and Service Manager.

Rate:

£55 – Individual

£65 Couples

Student rates negotiable

Book an Appointment

Membership:

Accredited member of the BACP

Qualifications:

Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy Diploma in working with Children and Adolescents.
Certificate in working with Couples.

Work Experience:

Set up and ran the Counselling Service known as “The Living Project” working with people living with Dementia and their carers. This project was supported and evaluated by Leeds Becketts University and the findings published in “The Cambridge University Press” and ” Ageing & Society”magazines.
Cruse Bereavement Care Volunteer
Escayp Childrens Charity Counsellor
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Counsellor
Counsellor and Supervisor network for Leeds Becketts University

Rate:

£60 – Individuals
£75 – Couples
£75 – Families

Book an Appointment

Supervision

Book with Ian Swanston
Book with Frank Brinkley
Book with Caroline Webb
Book with Josh Whaley
Book with Nicola Heptinstall
Heather Pearce : Supervisor

A BACP Senior Accredited counsellor/psychotherapist, I have worked across the NHS, charity and higher education sectors. I have a Certificate in Supervision and am also a trained Schwartz Round facilitator. My experience includes working as clinical lead and manager within a university counselling service, where I also provided group supervision to specialist mental health mentors. I have provided individual and group supervision to hospice and primary care staff in the NHS, as well as facilitating Schwartz Rounds.

Reflective supervision for non-counselling professionals
I offer reflective supervision to professionals working in health and social care, including senior clinicians, managers and practitioners.These sessions offer space to think about the emotional and psychological impact of your work — including the challenges that can come with working in highly pressurised environments or supporting people who have experienced trauma. The focus is not on solving problems or clinical and technical aspects of the work, but on having time to step back, reflect and consider how the work is affecting you.

This can be particularly valuable for people who do not routinely have access to this kind of support, or who may not feel comfortable seeking it through their employer. Sessions are usually offered individually on a monthly, ongoing basis, although time-limited sessions can also be arranged around a particular work-related challenge.

Reflective supervision for therapists
I also offer reflective supervision for therapists which can include elements of mentoring and career development. Drawing on my experience as a therapist, supervisor and service manager within organisational settings, I offer a supportive space to explore the practical realities of developing a career as a therapist — including working within services and navigating the
transition from voluntary work or private practice. This may be particularly useful for therapists who are looking for guidance, insight and practical support as they take their next step. These sessions are intended to complement, rather than replace, clinical supervision.

Supervision Qualification:

Certificate in Supervision and Schwartz Round Facilitator

Membership

Registered MBACP (Senior Accredited)

I offer reflective supervision to:

Non-counselling professionals
Qualified therapists
Individuals only

Session fees are:

£70 for 60 minutes
£90 for 1.5 hours

Please fill out the form below to discuss Supervision.

Josh is a Leeds based supervisor, experienced in, and currently working with, university trainee therapists, qualified therapists and fellow supervisors, face to face and online.

Josh is trained in the practice of supervision, with an emphasis upon Hawkins & Shohet’s 7 eyed model and informed by the 9 eyed, anti-oppression model. This is complimentary to Josh’s core Integrative therapy training; a relational, psychodynamic approach, from a humanistic perspective. However, he also works with practitioners within the mental healthcare profession from different modalities.

Josh always offers a non-judgemental way of working as ally rather than expert. He values both you and he are not only bringing a wealth of personal and professional knowledge and experience into supervision but are learning from each other too. This is consistent with his philosophical underpinnings; Martin Buber’s concepts I-Thou/It and Inclusion. He finds the latter facilitates that shared curiosity, essential for purposeful, collaborative, meaning making and fosters a working alliance built upon mutual respect

and trust. His mode of being within supervision is live and co-created. It’s a distillation of your and his, not just your and/or your clients personal resources.

His role as supervisor is also informed by over a decade of embodied learning as a Yoga Teacher, alongside Polyvagal Theory. He

finds this synthesis can offer supervision an expansive richness and somatic anchor, when embodied information might be

indicative of something [un/sub] consciously playing out between your client, you and him.

Josh believes given a safe enough space, support and at times encouragement, as well as challenge, the appropriate path forward for you within your work with your clients, will emerge.

When you contact Josh, he’ll arrange a time to meet face-to-face or online via zoom, for a free 30 minute introductory session. During this initial meeting, it’ll give you time to share a little of your education/modality, areas of expertise and what you hope for and need from our supervision and Josh will talk about and model how he might work alongside you. Prior to that meeting, he’ll send you information about how to access his room at Evolve or a link to a zoom session. Included with this will be a supervision agreement for you to familiarise yourself with. He’ll need you to send him a copy of your membership with your governing body and professional insurance certificate.

If you feel you can work effectively together after your met, he’ll discuss and sign your supervision agreement.

His particular areas of interest and experience are: Trauma, [CPTSD], Neurodiversity, Existential Crisis, LGBTQIA+ identities/lifestyles and HIV & Cancer Diagnosis.

Supervision Qualifications: Diploma in the Practice of Supervision

Memberships: MBACP, NCPS

I offer Supervision to:

Individuals

Pricing per sessions:

Qualified Therapists:

60 minutes – £65
90 minutes – £90

Students:

60 minutes – £55
90 minutes – £80

Please fill out the form below to discuss Supervision.

I have held a diploma in The Practice of Supervision, awarded by the Leeds Centre for Psychological Development, since 2023 and prior to this I completed a number of supervision training modules with Place2Be and supervised counsellors in training as part of my role as a School Project Manager.

I qualified from York St Johns University with a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy in 2012. This was a Humanistic / Person-Centred based integrative course that encouraged us to develop our own integrative humanistic practice, drawing on theories from other modalities to enrich and inform our way of working. My practice now is still very much informed by humanistic theory but with psychodynamic theory and attachment theory woven in, particularly as a way of understanding the relational dynamics in a client’s world and the relationship between myself and a client.

I have experience of working as a therapist within several organisations, working as a school based counsellor and manager of the school counselling service as well as working in my own private practice for the last 10 years. In addition to my counselling work I have delivered in-house training for Place2Be as well as co-training on a Level 4 course for working with children and young people within Place2Be.

I believe supervision should meet you where you are in your practice and I offer a space in which you can feel safe, supported and held but which also allows for challenge and learning where necessary. My hope is to provide a supervision relationship within which you can discuss all aspects of your client work, be curious about and explore the relationships between you and your clients and gain insight into yourself as a therapist.

I offer collaborative supervision that supports and encourages you to grow and develop as a therapist whilst also upholding safe and ethical practice.

Supervision Qualification: Diploma in Supervision

Membership: Registered MBACP (Accredited)

I offer Supervision to:

Individuals
Qualified Therapists / counsellors
Therapists / counsellors in training

Supervision fees are:

£60 per hour
Concessionary rate available whilst in training

Please fill out the form below to discuss Supervision.

Clinical Psychology

Therapeutic Coaching

Francesca Thirlwell | Adults · Therapy & coaching | From £60

Francesca Thirlwell is an experienced, registered BACP psychotherapist, senior EMCC accredited coach, and former HR professional. She works with ambitious and forward-thinking adults who are navigating change, feeling stuck, or facing complex life decisions—supporting them to achieve both personal and professional goals.

With extensive experience in therapeutic and coaching settings, Francesca also brings 15 years of HR expertise across a range of public and private sector organisations. This background provides her with a deep understanding of workplace pressures and the challenges individuals face in professional environments.

Alongside her private practice, Francesca has worked in diverse settings with individuals facing a wide range of issues affecting daily life, including low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, anxiety, stress, career transitions, returning to work after extended leave, childhood trauma, and a lack of confidence or direction.

Clients often report increased confidence, improved relationship dynamics, and a deeper understanding of themselves—enabling them to lead with authenticity and approach challenges with clarity and resilience.

Francesca offers a collaborative and empathetic approach, creating a confidential space where clients can safely explore their thoughts and emotions. Her work is tailored to each individual’s needs, fostering greater self-awareness and insight. Sessions are guided by what each person wishes to explore, at a pace that feels right—whether short-term or ongoing.

She is qualified in Integrative Psychotherapy, drawing primarily from relational and person-centred approaches. Francesca provides a compassionate, non-judgmental environment where clients can bring their whole selves. Her work is informed by psychodynamic and attachment theories to deepen understanding of past and present experiences, and she integrates cognitive behavioural techniques and coaching methods where appropriate to support practical change and personal growth.

Qualifications:

PG Diploma (level 7) in Counselling and Psychotherapy (Leeds University)
PG Certificate in Interpersonal and Counselling Skills (Leeds Beckett University)
Introduction to Counselling skills certificate (Leeds Becket University)
PG Diploma (Level 7) in Coaching (EMCC Accredited)
PG Diploma (Level 7) in Human Resources (Leeds Beckett University)
Degree in Psychology and Sociology (University of Liverpool

Initial Consultation
Francesca offers a complimentary 15-minute telephone or video consultation for new clients. This session provides an opportunity to ask questions and explore whether working together feels right.

Session Details
Individual sessions are £60 and last 50 minutes. Appointments are available both online and in person.

Book an Appointment

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Meet our Therapists

Counsellors & Therapists | Adults

Dorota Podjaska Psychotherapist & Clinical Hypnotherapist From £100

Ian Swanston | Adults & young people · EMDR | From £55

Josh Whaley | Adults · Trauma & relationships | From £75

Nicola Heptinstall | Adults, children & supervision | From £60

Caroline Webb | Adults · Psychotherapy- £70

Emma Hetherington | Adults · Counselling | From £60

Francesca Thirlwell | Adults · Therapy & coaching | From £60

Shez Hashmi | Adults & young people · CBT & attachment | From £65

Jane Hickson | Adults & couples · Integrative counselling | From £60

Heather Pearce : £55 Individuals / £65 Couples

Aaron Bell | Adults · Counselling | From £50

Susannah Barnes | Adults · Anxiety, trauma & life changes | From £67

Will Jones | Adults From £60

Frank Brinkley | Adults · Person-centred therapy | From £60

Joanne Austin | Adults, children & couples | From £60

Madeleine Hills | Adults & young people | From £50

Dorota Podjaska Psychotherapist & Clinical Hypnotherapist From £100

Psychotherapist & Clinical Hypnotherapist

Approach

Specialisms

Ways of Working Together

Work Experience

Qualifications

Professional Memberships

Appointments and Fees

Ian Swanston | Adults & young people · EMDR | From £55

Josh Whaley | Adults · Trauma & relationships | From £75

Psychotherapist & Counsellor

Nicola Heptinstall | Adults, children & supervision | From £60

Psychotherapist & Counsellor

Caroline Webb | Adults · Psychotherapy- £70

Counsellor & Psychotherapist

Emma Hetherington | Adults · Counselling | From £60

Psychotherapist

Francesca Thirlwell | Adults · Therapy & coaching | From £60

Shez Hashmi | Adults & young people · CBT & attachment | From £65

Counsellor & Psychotherapist

Jane Hickson | Adults & couples · Integrative counselling | From £60

Counsellor and Psychotherapist

Heather Pearce : £55 Individuals / £65 Couples

Counsellor & Supervisor

Counselling:

Aaron Bell | Adults · Counselling | From £50

Counsellor

Susannah Barnes | Adults · Anxiety, trauma & life changes | From £67

Counsellor

Will Jones | Adults From £60

Counsellor & Psychotherapist

Frank Brinkley | Adults · Person-centred therapy | From £60

Joanne Austin | Adults, children & couples | From £60

Psychotherapist & Accredited Counsellor

Madeleine Hills | Adults & young people | From £50

Counsellor & Psychotherapist

Counsellors & Therapists - Young People & Children

Heather Pearce : £55 Individuals / £65 Couples

Ian Swanston | Adults & young people · EMDR | From £55

Joanne Austin | Adults, children & couples | From £60

Nicola Heptinstall | Adults, children & supervision | From £60

Shez Hashmi | Adults & young people · CBT & attachment | From £65

Heather Pearce : £55 Individuals / £65 Couples

Counsellor & Supervisor

Counselling:

Ian Swanston | Adults & young people · EMDR | From £55

Joanne Austin | Adults, children & couples | From £60

Psychotherapist & Accredited Counsellor

Nicola Heptinstall | Adults, children & supervision | From £60

Psychotherapist & Counsellor

Shez Hashmi | Adults & young people · CBT & attachment | From £65

Counsellor & Psychotherapist

Counsellors & Therapists - Couples

Heather Pearce : £55 Individuals / £65 Couples

Jane Hickson | Adults & couples · Integrative counselling | From £60

Joanne Austin | Adults, children & couples | From £60

Heather Pearce : £55 Individuals / £65 Couples

Counsellor & Supervisor