Ellen Penny-Brookes

• Anxiety and stress
• Trauma-focused work
• Attachment issues

About Ellen

Ellen Penny-Brookes works with people facing stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, addictions, relationship and family problems, trauma and grief, eating and sleeping difficulties, parenting strain, anger and depression. She offers psychodynamic counselling alongside person-centred and trauma-informed ways of working. She is a member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) and has five years' practice experience.

Ellen trained at the University of Essex, completing a Masters degree with distinction in Psychodynamic counselling. She also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Person Centred Counselling from the University of East Anglia. Her background includes working with adults, children and adolescents in a range of settings.

In sessions she draws on psychodynamic thinking to look at how early experiences and unconscious patterns influence current feelings and relationships. She also uses client-centred methods that focus on the individual's perspective and lived experience. Cognitive behavioural ideas and trauma-focused approaches are used where they help to address present-day difficulties.

Ellen aims to make practical sense of problems such as anxiety, burnout, low mood, relationship difficulties and loneliness. She works with issues including attachment and abandonment, body image and eating concerns, gender dysphoria, caregiver stress, dissociation, and separation or divorce. Sessions cover both immediate coping needs and patterns that recur across time.

She practices in the United Kingdom and communicates in English. Practical arrangements and session format options are confirmed during the sign-up process and before booking the first appointment.

How her approaches translate to remote counselling

Psychodynamic counselling looks at recurring patterns and unconscious influences on feelings and relationships, helping people understand why some reactions repeat and how past experiences shape current life. Client-centred work focuses on the person's perspective and uses attentive listening to help them make sense of their own priorities and choices. Cognitive behavioural ideas offer straightforward ways to identify and try different thoughts and behaviours when immediate coping strategies are needed.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapy process. Ellen works collaboratively to agree what feels most useful, adjusting methods as needs and goals become clearer over sessions. She aims to balance exploring deeper patterns with practical steps for day-to-day coping.

Confirm the available session formats before booking, as these are arranged during the sign-up process. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Many people find remote sessions help maintain continuity of care alongside work, parenting and other commitments, and the therapist will discuss what works best for scheduling and session length.

Topics Ellen lists

• Stress and anxiety
• Self-esteem
• Addictions
• LGBT
• Relationship issues
• Family conflicts
• Trauma and abuse
• Grief
• Eating disorders
• Sleeping disorders
• Parenting issues
• Anger management
• Depression
• Coping with life changes
• Compassion fatigue
• ADHD
• Abandonment
• Attachment issues
• Body image
• Caregiver issues and stress
• Co-morbidity
• Commitment issues
• Communication problems
• Dissociation
• Divorce and separation
• Eating and food-related issues
• Emptiness
• Family problems
• Gender dysphoria
• Guilt and shame
• Isolation and loneliness
• Life purpose
• Midlife crisis
• Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
• Panic disorder and panic attacks
• Phobias
• Polyamory and non-monogamous relationships
• Post-traumatic stress
• Self-harm
• Self-love
• Social anxiety and phobia
• Women's issues
• Workplace issues
• Young adult issues

Ways of working

• Attachment-Based Therapy
• Client-Centred Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Psychodynamic Therapy
• Trauma-Focused Therapy

Questions about Ellen

Does she work with anxiety and stress?

Yes. Ellen regularly helps people with anxiety, burnout and stress-related problems using psychodynamic and other approaches.

What kind of counselling does she offer?

She uses psychodynamic counselling, person-centred methods and draws on cognitive behavioural and trauma-focused ideas where helpful.

How much experience does she have?

She has five years of practice experience and a Masters degree with distinction in Psychodynamic counselling.

Is she registered with a professional body in the UK?

She is registered with the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP).

Can I have sessions in languages other than English?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats does she offer?

Please confirm current session options before booking as formats are arranged during the sign-up and scheduling process.

How are fees structured?

Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.

How do I start a first session?

Click the Talk to a counsellor online button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session.