Lou Elder

I have a Psychology Degree (Hons) and Masters (MA) and have dedicated the past 20 years to helping people deal with all kinds of problems within their personal lives as well as families. Colourful World Counselling focuses on the individual person and adapts therapies to the individual. Therapies offered include CBT, holistic, psychodynamic and mindfulness.  I have trained to be a reiki practitioner and have been doing this for the past 3 years.

From a very young age, I have been interested in the brain. Why do we behave the way we do? What makes one person so different from another?  I attended university and got my Psychology degree, which created further questions for me, as I wanted to find out more about Neurology.  I continued my studies and gained masters in counselling and neurodiversity as well as diplomas in body language, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and mindfulness. I found the more I learned, the more I had a passion to find the answers to my many questions I had. One of these questions included; why is therapy so limited to it just being a therapist sitting across the room with a desk in-between both parties?  As well as why is it so limited in terms of what can be offered in means of finding coping mechanisms as well as solutions to the reasons people attend these appointments?  I spent a long time adapting my counselling therapies to meet the needs of individuals with some great feedback and results.

Throughout my working career I have worked with adults and children in various roles.  My care for them included primary, residential care and safe houses.  During some of these roles I would deal with individuals and families who needed a bit of extra support and/or advice all the way through to individuals in care and those under court supervision orders.  This required me not only working with the adult or child but also their families and agencies involved.

I have a great passion for working with people and working out what solutions, tools and strategies work for them as individuals. With this in mind, I base my therapies around the individual needs of my clients.  I pride myself in being 'out of the norm' I have a passion for whacky shoes which and crazy coloured hair. 

My therapy room is warm and welcoming where you will be offered tea/coffee and water.  I know any therapy is hard so my aim is to make it as cosy and open as possible.  I want you to be comfortable while we discuss what’s brought you to me as well as us finding a way together to find a solution.