Polly Thelwall, BACP

Polly Thelwall is an experienced counsellor and psychotherapist who supports people seeking change and growth by working with them as whole individuals. She approaches therapy from the belief that healing is possible and that each person is the expert on their own life. In sessions she listens closely and poses thoughtful questions to reflect parts of a person that can be hard to name, helping to make sense of what makes life difficult in all its complexity.

Polly aims to create a space where emerging resources can be identified and developed, and where the work goes beyond simply processing difficult experiences to guiding clients toward a balanced way of being. She sees value in attending to all phases of life and uses a parts-based model to ensure that different aspects of a person are heard and considered. This focus supports clearing blockages that prevent a person from feeling grounded in their true self.

Polly works with a broad range of people, from those coping with deep trauma to those facing less complex challenges. She is psychodynamically trained, which emphasises how personal history shapes current experience, and also integrates relational, transpersonal, and somatic perspectives to tailor the approach to each individual. Polly is registered with the BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, and brings many years of mental health and creative-sector experience to her therapeutic work.

Psychodynamic and Relational Approaches Delivered Online

Polly integrates psychodynamic work with relational and somatic perspectives to help people explore how past experiences shape present patterns. Psychodynamic therapy focuses on the links between early relationships and current feelings and behaviours, helping to uncover repeated patterns and unconscious influences so clients can find new ways of relating to themselves and others. Relational work emphasises the therapeutic relationship itself as a space to explore interaction styles and attachment needs, which can be particularly useful for relationship and family difficulties. Somatic perspectives bring attention to bodily sensations and how the body holds stress or trauma, offering ways to reconnect with physical experience alongside emotional processing.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Polly works collaboratively with each person to identify which methods suit their needs, goals, and preferences. She tailors the blend of psychodynamic, relational, and somatic ideas to fit what feels most helpful in the moment and over time.

Online therapy with Polly is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and communication styles. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care, access support from home, and choose the format that best supports each person's comfort and progress.