Laura West, NCPS

Laura West is an accredited psychotherapist and counsellor with 19 years of professional experience, who transitioned into mental health work after a long career in nursing. She spent 17 years as a Registered General Nurse working within the NHS across two hospitals, and in her later nursing roles she developed a particular interest in emotional and psychological support while serving as a Macmillan Breast Cancer Specialist Practitioner.

Her clinical training includes a diploma in Psychotherapy & Counselling, and she is an accredited psychotherapist and counsellor and a member of the National Counselling Society (NCPS). She integrates several therapeutic models into her practice, drawing on psychodynamic concepts alongside humanistic, person-centered values that were shaped by her nursing background. She also uses approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy to tailor work to each person's needs.

Laura works with people experiencing a wide range of emotional and psychological challenges, including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, low self-esteem, and coping with life changes. Her additional focus areas include abandonment, chronic pain and long-term illness or disability, communication difficulties, divorce and separation, isolation and loneliness, questions of life purpose, narcissistic dynamics, post-traumatic stress, self-love, and social anxiety and phobia. Her approach emphasizes supporting clients toward practical, positive change and improved wellbeing while respecting each person’s individual journey.