Louise Laird
Individual, Couples & Relationship Counselling and Psychotherapy, Aberdeenshire
Helping you understand yourself, your relationships, and the patterns that keep you feeling stuck.
In-person sessions in Westhill, Aberdeenshire
· £60 individual · £95 couples
Have you been trying to work things out for months, or even years?
You've read the books, listened to podcasts, talked things through with friends, or even asked AI. Perhaps you've simply told yourself to get on with it. You find yourself returning to the same thoughts, feelings and patterns again and again. You can understand what's happening, but somehow you still don't feel any different.
Perhaps you're feeling anxious, overwhelmed, physically burnt out, or emotionally exhausted from over-functioning and pretending everything is okay. Perhaps you're overthinking and trying to control every eventuality, or struggling with confidence and not feeling good enough.
You find yourself wondering why you react the way you do, why certain situations affect you so deeply, or why you long for connection in your relationships. Maybe you're navigating the same relationship or life challenges on repeat, feeling stuck without knowing why, and wondering, "Is this it?".
It doesn't have to stay this way.
Counselling can give you the space to slow things down, understand what's happening beneath the surface, and begin to make sense of patterns that may have been with you for a long time.
When we begin to understand ourselves, something starts to shift.
We can begin to relate to ourselves with greater compassion, understand the patterns that shape our lives, and connect more honestly with the people we love.
Because the relationship we have with ourselves influences every other relationship we have.
Louise Laird
Why Seek Counselling?
You don't need someone to tell you who you are or what you should do. Counselling isn't about giving advice or fixing you. It's about creating the space to slow down, explore your experiences, and begin to make sense of yourself with curiosity and compassion.
Sometimes, thinking about something over and over doesn't bring us any closer to understanding it. Change can begin when we slow down enough to notice what's really happening beneath the thoughts, feelings and behaviours that have become familiar.
Counselling can help you recognise the patterns that may be keeping you stuck, understand yourself with greater clarity, and find different ways of responding to life's challenges. Over time, this can change the way you relate to yourself and the people around you.
How I can support you
Understanding the Relationship with yourself
Individual counselling can offer a space to slow down, better understand yourself, and explore the patterns that may be keeping you stuck. It can help you develop a more compassionate relationship with yourself and, in turn, create healthier relationships with the people around you.
You might be feeling overwhelmed, questioning yourself, struggling with confidence, or finding that the same thoughts, feelings or challenges keep repeating. Together, we can explore what's happening beneath the surface and begin to find new ways of understanding and responding to your experiences.
Understanding the Relationship Between You
Relationships can be complicated, even when you love each other. Couples counselling can offer a space to better understand yourselves, each other, and the patterns that have developed between you.
You might be feeling disconnected, caught in the same cycles of conflict, struggling to communicate, or questioning what comes next. Together, we can explore what's happening beneath the surface, without focusing on who is right or wrong.
With greater understanding of yourselves and the relationship between you, it can become possible to communicate differently, reconnect, and move forward with greater clarity.
I also have a particular interest in neurodiverse relationships, including relationships where one partner is neurodivergent and the other is neurotypical.
About Me
Hi, I’m Louise, a counsellor and psychotherapist based in Westhill, Aberdeenshire.
I believe that understanding ourselves is where meaningful change begins. My role isn’t to tell you what to do or to fix you, but to offer a space where you can slow down, explore what’s happening, and make sense of your experiences with curiosity and compassion.
My particular interest is in relationships, both the relationship we have with ourselves and the relationships we build with others. I work with individuals and couples who may feel stuck in familiar patterns, struggle to understand themselves or each other, or want to find different ways of relating and communicating.
Alongside my private practice, I have volunteered as a counsellor with a local charity and worked as a Specialist Student Mentor across several Scottish universities, supporting students with their mental health and wellbeing.
I also have almost 20 years’ experience as a yoga and breathwork teacher. While counselling and yoga are different practices, this experience has deepened my understanding of the connection between our thoughts, emotions and bodies, and the importance of slowing down and noticing what is happening within us.
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MSc in Person-Centred Counselling (Distinction)
University of Aberdeen
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Post-qualification training in Couples & Relationship Therapy
COSRT
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Registered Member of BACP
Working within the BACP Ethical Framework and professional standards
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Almost 20 years’ experience in yoga & breathwork
A longstanding understanding of wellbeing, body awareness and the mind-body connection
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Specialist interest in neurodiverse relationships
Particularly the dynamics between neurodivergent and neurotypical partners
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Working towards BACP Accreditation
Continuing to develop my knowledge and professional practice
Why Work With Me
Contact Me
Address
Step and Stone Health
Unit 16 (opposite M&S)
Westhill Shopping Centre
Westhill, Aberdeenshire
AB32 6RL
Contact
Sessions available in person
Plenty parking available and on bus route from Aberdeen
Opening Hours
Monday
10:00am - 3:00pm
Tuesday
10:00am - 6:00pm
Wednesday
10:00am - 3:00pm
Thursday
10:00am - 6:00pm
Pricing & Sessions
Individuals:
£60 per 50-minute session
(Students £50)
Relationships and Couples:
£95 per 60-minute session
Six prepaid hourly sessions £540.00
If you're wondering whether counselling could be right for you, you're welcome to get in touch.
You can ask a question, tell me a little about what's bringing you to counselling, or arrange an appointment.