Space to explore, room to grow
Compassionate counselling for personal growth and healing
About Priscilla McDade Counselling
Hello
Counselling for Adults
Trauma-informed support for those rebuilding confidence, identity and safety after difficult or harmful experiences.
You may be feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or unlike yourself.
Perhaps a relationship has left you doubting your own judgement.
Perhaps you have experienced emotional, physical or sexual harm and are trying to make sense of its impact.
Or perhaps you are carrying patterns of low self-worth, people-pleasing or hypervigilance that you don’t fully understand.
You do not have to face that alone.
I support adults navigating the lasting effects of:
- Emotionally controlling or coercive relationships
- Physical or sexual violence
- Relationship breakdown and separation
- Anxiety, shame and loss of confidence
- Life transitions and identity shifts
Trauma does not always look dramatic from the outside.
Often, it shows up quietly — in self-doubt, overthinking, difficulty trusting yourself, or feeling as though you have slowly lost your voice.
Therapy offers a steady, confidential space to:
- Rebuild self-trust
- Understand trauma responses
- Strengthen boundaries
- Process painful experiences safely
- Reclaim a sense of identity and stability
My approach is person-centred and trauma-informed. I work at your pace, with care and respect for the complexity of your experiences.
I offer in-person counselling in Whitley Bay, as well as online sessions across the UK.
If you would like to explore whether working together feels right, I offer a free 15-minute consultation.
You deserve support that feels safe, steady and respectful.
Recovering from Trauma and Relationship Harm
Trauma can change how you experience yourself and the world around you.
It may follow a specific event.
It may develop gradually within a relationship.
It may be connected to emotional, physical or sexual violence.
Sometimes it is obvious. Often it is not.
You might notice:
- Feeling constantly on edge
- Second-guessing yourself
- Difficulty trusting others
- Shame or self-blame
- Avoiding certain places or conversations
- Feeling numb, detached or disconnected
- Struggling to relax, even when things seem “fine”
These responses are not weakness. They are ways your mind and body learned to protect you.
When Trauma Develops Within a Relationship
Some experiences are harder to name.
You may have lived with:
- Walking on eggshells
- Feeling criticised or diminished
- Being told your memory is wrong
- Gradual isolation from others
- Subtle control over finances or decisions
- A loss of confidence you can’t quite explain
You might still be in the relationship.
You might have left recently.
You might have left years ago and still feel its impact.
You do not have to define your experience before you are ready.
Therapy can be a space to gently untangle what happened and how it has affected you.
Physical or Sexual Violence
Experiences of physical or sexual violence can leave deep and complex effects.
You may struggle with trust, intimacy or feeling safe in your own body.
You may feel anger, grief, shame or numbness.
You may feel confused by your reactions.
You remain in control of what you share and when.
Our work together prioritises:
- Emotional safety
- Clear boundaries
- Moving at your pace
- Stability before deeper exploration
There is never pressure to disclose more than feels manageable.
How Therapy Can Help
Healing does not always mean revisiting every detail.
Often the work involves:
- Rebuilding self-trust
- Strengthening boundaries
- Reducing shame
- Understanding your reactions
- Regaining a sense of internal steadiness
- Reconnecting with who you are beyond what happened
You do not have to be in crisis to seek support.
Many people appear high functioning while quietly carrying the weight of past experiences.
My Approach
My approach is person-centred and trauma-informed. This means you are not analysed, judged or rushed.
Alongside my counselling training, my professional background includes frontline and safeguarding roles working with individuals affected by complex and high-risk situations.
This has given me a grounded understanding of power dynamics and relational harm.
In the therapy room, however, my role is steady, respectful and non-directive. You are in control of your story and your pace.
I offer:
- In-person counselling in Whitley Bay
- Online sessions across the UK
If you would like to explore whether working together feels right, I offer a free 15-minute consultation.
