About me!

Hello, my name is Katie Cottrell. I have worked with children, adolescents and their families for over twenty years in various capacities. Children can sense that I genuinely care and so I quickly build trusting relationships with them. This relationship forms the foundation for being able to help them with whatever difficulty they are facing. I show young people that their thoughts and feelings matter and they leave me feeling better about themselves regardless of the difficulties they came with. 

Most counsellors qualify with a level 4 in adult counselling and then do a level 5 diploma in order to work with children. I have trained to a Masters level with a 3 year specialised course in working with young people and their families. The training was amazing! It included infant observations (the magic of watching a baby and mother bonding for 20 weeks) and family observations (assessing attachment strategies of parents and children). My training was also integrative, which means that I have trained in several therapeutic approaches so I can adapt to the needs of the young person in front of me. The main approaches I have trained in are  Child-Centred Play Therapy, Person-Centred Counselling, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. I also trained separately as a Mindfulness Teacher and incorporate this into my work. Furthermore, I love my work and am constantly attending training courses, learning more in order to be the very best therapist I can be. 

I am dedicated to supporting the mental and emotional health of young people. My job is a privilege and I love it!

I am based in Bournemouth and my play therapy service is run from my home.

I also offer adolescent therapy in-person or online.