Bella Whittaker

My work is grounded in my humanistic values of empathy, attunement, and presence. At the core, I believe the most important thing is that we’re just two people meeting and connecting as humans. You're invited to bring your whole self in a validating environment - including the parts you may have been taught to hide, feel conflicted about, or carry shame around. Shame loosens its grip when it's spoken aloud, so let's meet what's been hidden, side by side.

I’m committed to offering a therapeutic space that is welcoming, inclusive, and affirms all identities, neurotypes, and ways of being. I am dedicated to anti-oppressive practice and work with an awareness of how social systems such as racism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, ableism, and sexism impact wellbeing and lived experience. I work in a way that celebrates neurodivergence, deeply valuing the richness and diversity of minds and experiences you bring. However you show up, I’ll meet you with openness, respect, care, and cultural humility.

I understand that living in a world where you are part of a marginalised group shapes how you move through life and therapy. I hold an awareness of the psychological distress that comes from living in a homophobic, biphobic, transphobic, and heteronormative world, and of the layered pressures that come with inhabiting your identity. These may include microaggressions, feeling the quiet tension of scanning a room before you hold your partner's hand, bracing for misgendering each time you meet someone new, or the exhaustion of code-switching between family, work, and queer spaces. I seek to also understand within-community stressors, where sometimes, queer spaces can bring their own relational challenges and pressures. 

While I enjoy working with people across all life stages, I have a particular passion for supporting young adults. I really do understand how confusing, stressful, and emotionally demanding this phase of life can be. It’s often a time filled with uncertainty, transitions, and pressure to figure everything out all at once - including your identity, career, friendships, dating life, and growing independence.