Donna Bowler, UKCP Accredited Psychotherapist

Donna Bowler

DE3
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Donna Bowler, UKCP Accredited Psychotherapist

Donna Bowler

DE3
Shortlist Share

About Me

I am a UKCP Registered Clinical Psychotherapist and trained at the Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute in Nottingham, where I completed my MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy.
People sometimes imagine psychotherapy as quite formal, with a therapist sitting quietly and saying very little. That is not how I work. I endeavour to be warm, curious and down to earth. I will listen carefully, but I will also ask questions, respond to you and let you know what I am thinking or noticing when I believe it might help us understand something. There is room for seriousness and difficult feelings in therapy with me, as well as some humour.
I am especially interested in relationships and attachment, including why certain people or situations can affect us so deeply, and why patterns can continue even when we can see perfectly well that they are causing problems. I also have a particular interest in ADHD and neurodivergence, especially the relational impact of growing up feeling different, misunderstood or as though you were somehow getting things wrong.

My Approach

I am an Integrative Relational Developmental Psychotherapist and my approach is based on the understanding that who we are, how we see ourselves and what we come to expect from other people are shaped, in large part, through our relationships and experiences.

As we grow up, we find ways of coping, adapting and staying connected to the people around us. These ways of managing often make a great deal of sense when we understand where they came from. As life changes, though, some of them can become less helpful. You might find yourself becoming overwhelmed by rejection, struggling to trust other people, taking responsibility for everybody else, withdrawing when relationships feel difficult or finding yourself caught in the same patterns even when you understand them intellectually. Therapy gives us somewhere to become curious about this.

My training is integrative, which means I draw on a range of psychotherapeutic theories and ideas depending on you, your experiences and what seems most useful in our work together. I am particularly influenced by relational, developmental, psychodynamic and humanistic psychotherapy. The relationship between us is an important part of that work. I am an engaged therapist, so you will not be sitting opposite somebody who remains silent or gives very little back. I listen carefully, ask questions and sometimes share what I am noticing or wondering about. We can think together about what is happening in your life, what may sit underneath it and, where it feels useful, what begins to happen between us in the therapy room.

I work with adults experiencing a wide range of difficulties, including anxiety, depression, trauma, shame, low self-worth and relationship difficulties. I have a particular interest in attachment, neurodivergence, ADHD and the impact of growing up feeling misunderstood, criticised or different.

I work with

  • Companies
  • Individuals
  • Private healthcare referrals

Special Interests

Like all UKCP registered psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors I can work with a wide range of issues, but here are some areas in which I have a special interest or additional experience.

I have a particular interest in neurodivergence, particularly ADHD and Autism and the emotional and relational impact of living with neurodivergence, including overwhelm, rejection sensitivity, shame and feeling misunderstood.
Anxiety can affect the way you think, feel and move through everyday life. We can explore what sits underneath it, what tends to trigger it and the ways you have learned to manage it, while helping you develop a greater sense of safety and trust in yourself.
Depression can leave life feeling flat, heavy or difficult to engage with. Together, we can explore what may be contributing to this, how you relate to yourself during difficult periods and what helps you feel more connected to yourself and your life.
How we relate to ourselves can shape so much of how we experience other people and the world around us. In therapy, I am interested in helping you understand the patterns, beliefs and ways of coping you have developed over time, especially those that may once have helped you but now leave you feeling stuck. Together, we can make sense of where they came from and begin to find kinder, more flexible ways of being with yourself and with others.
Trauma can continue to shape how we experience ourselves, relationships and the world long after the original experience has passed. I work gently and at your pace, helping you understand the ways you adapted to cope and how those responses may still be affecting you now.

Types of Therapies Offered

  • Integrative Psychotherapist

What I can help with

  • Abuse
  • ADHD
  • Adoption
  • Age-related Issues
  • Anger Management
  • Anxiety
  • Autism
  • Bereavement
  • Bullying
  • Chronic Illness
  • Cultural Issues
  • Depression
  • Disability
  • Divorce
  • Domestic Violence
  • Employment Difficulties
  • Family
  • Health-related Issues
  • Infertility
  • Mental Health Issues
  • Obsessions
  • Parents
  • Physical Abuse
  • Post-Traumatic Stress
  • Relationships
  • Sexual Abuse
  • Step Families
  • Stress
  • Telephone Counselling
  • Trauma
  • Workplace Counselling

Types of sessions

  • Face to Face - Long Term
  • Face to Face - Short Term
  • Online Therapy

Office


DE3 9GU
United Kingdom (UK)

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UKCP College

  • Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy College (HIPC)
Donna Bowler

Donna Bowler

DE3

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