Rachel Kaye

Therapist Directory Listing Category: Psychotherapists and Counsellors

About the Therapist

About the therapist:

Hi, I’m Rachel (she/her), a counsellor and online therapist based in Shipley.

I specialise in working with LGBTQ+ clients and those who have always felt different in some way.

I’ve worked as a therapist for over 5 years, including providing therapy for an LGBTQ+ charity, in private practice, and supporting staff and students at an FE college. I’m a BACP accredited therapist (which means I’ve met the organisation’s higher standard as a competent, ethical and independent practitioner). I’m an LGBTQ+ specialist who provides neuro affirming, trauma informed therapy.

We might be a good fit if:

-You’ve had therapy before but didn’t see lasting change

- You’ve previously felt misunderstood in therapy that wasn’t queer-affirming.

- You value a compassionate approach, which can also be gently challenging

- You want a down-to-earth therapist, who will be real with you, answer questions and not leave long, awkward silences

Working with me will give you a relaxed and non-judgemental space to unpick what’s going on and finally put the weight of who you ‘should’ be down. I use my knowledge of attachment, how trauma impacts our nervous system, and insights and hope from my lived experience, to help you work out what to do to feel better.

I’ve previously worked in University and Arts settings and participated in queer/feminist communities, so I know first-hand the joys and challenges these spaces can bring. I have particular experience and interest in helping people from difficult/dysfunctional family backgrounds to overcome challenges and build lives they love.

Sexual identity:

Other

Gender identity: I use another term

Gender history: Prefer not to say

Intersex: No

Neurodivergent: No

Personal pronouns: She/Her

Qualifications - Links to websites:

Postgraduate Diploma - Counselling and Psychotherapy (Leeds Beckett University)

BACP member - 388130

Qualifications - Additional:

Award	Awarding body	Year of award

Experience and approach:

LGBTQ+ affirmative, trauma-informed therapy for people who have always felt different in some way. The world can be a hard place for people who feel a lot. You might have been told you’re too sensitive or too much. There’s space for you to put down who you've been told you 'should' be and come as you are.

You might be struggling with anxiety, relationships or an over-active inner critic. Perhaps you often find it hard to trust your decisions and feel anxious that you’re doing everything wrong. Or you find yourself replaying conversations in your head, cringing and wondering why you can’t be “normal”. You might have had panic attacks or experienced trauma in the past and thought you’d worked through it, but now find you’re starting to feel overwhelmed by things you used to handle easily. You may be looking for help to deal with difficult family dynamics, or to navigate the decision to go no or low contact.

My own journey has brought me understanding of how anxiety and low self-esteem can sometimes make you feel like you’re broken, and given me proof that change is always possible. Together, we’ll work to overcome the things that have been holding you back so you can start to feel better.

Working with me can help you:

- Learn to manage anxiety and panic attacks so they don’t prevent you from living

- Stop letting your inner critic hold you back. Increase your confidence, trust in your decisions and start to feel better about yourself.

- Improve your relationships and your communication. Don’t let your attachment style stop you from creating and keeping healthy relationships.

Approaches: