What Safety Feels Like: In Therapy with Cleary Counselling

I aim to create a radically compassionate space for neurodivergent and trauma-affected clients, starting therapy. It can feel daunting—especially if you’ve spent years masking, possibly even facing misdiagnosis, or being misunderstood in systems that weren’t built with you in mind. For me, safety isn’t just a buzzword. It’s the foundation of everything I do and a continual work in progress.

As a neurodivergent therapist, I understand the emotional labour of showing up in spaces that expect you to be regulated, or “resilient” before you’ve even had a chance to exhale. My approach is shaped not only by clinical training, but by lived experience—of late diagnosis, single parenting, and the quiet grief of being missed.

Here’s how safety is cultivated in our work together. My work is guided by six core principles of trauma-informed practice (SAMHSA, 2014; Sweeney et al., 2018):

Principle	How It’s Practised in Therapy
Safety	Sessions are structured around emotional, psychological, and sensory safety. You choose what feels manageable.
Trustworthiness	I explain therapeutic choices clearly, honour your boundaries, and never overpromise.
Choice	You co-create your therapy plan. We adapt together, based on your needs, pace, and neurotype.
Collaboration	Therapy is a shared journey. You are the expert in your experience—I walk alongside you.
Empowerment	I offer psychoeducation and visual tools to help you build emotional literacy and self-advocacy.
Cultural, Historical & Gender Sensitivity	Your identity matters. I affirm LGBTQIA+ experiences, neurodivergent realities, and the impact of systemic trauma.

Lived Experience

My therapeutic stance is shaped by personal experiences:

• Late diagnosis of ADHD and Autism

• Complex trauma and relational rupture

• Single parenting of neurodiverse children

This lived experience fosters:

• Authentic empathy: You won’t need to explain or justify your neurodivergence.

• Shame-reduction: Therapy is non-linear and non-pathologising. There’s no pressure to “perform” healing.

• Sensory awareness: Sessions are adapted to reduce overwhelm. We pay attention to pacing, language, and emotional intensity.

Creative, Accessible Tools

In therapy I include metaphor, visual aids, and psychoeducational resources to support emotional regulation and insight, as and when we, together feel it is appropriate. These tools are:

• Sensory-friendly: Designed to reduce cognitive load and support executive functioning.

• Client-led: Offered as options, never imposed. You can opt in or out based on comfort and capacity.

• Empowering: Help you name emotions, navigate rupture and repair, and advocate for your needs in and beyond therapy.

  
  

What Therapy Might Feel Like

One Client's Feedback

"Therapy with Tracey feels like being gently held while you untangle something messy. There’s no pressure —just space to be real, curious, and kind to yourself.”

Whether you’re exploring identity, processing trauma, or simply seeking a space where you don’t have to mask, I offer a place to land. A place where your complexity is not just tolerated—but welcomed.

References

• Sweeney, A., Clement, S., Filson, B. and Kennedy, A. (2018) ‘Trauma-informed mental healthcare in the UK: What is it and how can we further its development?’, Mental Health Review Journal, 23(3), pp. 131–144.

• SAMHSA (2014) Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioural Health Services. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.