Online counselling for low self-esteem, loss, and the experiences that shape you
Support for people who feel deeply and often worry they’re “too much”, “too sensitive”, and “not enough”
Life can feel overwhelming at times. Things might look fine on the outside while inwardly, you’re feeling lost, stuck, lonely, and unsure of who you really are anymore.
The parts we learn to hide...
Perhaps from an early age, you regularly heard that you were being too sensitive, too much, or too emotional. Eventually, you started to believe that what you felt wasn't okay. You learned to hide those parts of yourself because there wasn’t space for them, and your emotions were always met with practical solutions rather than understanding.
Maybe there was plenty of love, but something still felt missing. You got used to relying on yourself. You were praised for being mature for your age, or for being the “good” child. You learned to read the room. You became an expert at noticing other people’s moods and felt responsible for keeping the peace.
And now, you might be wondering whether those early experiences have something to do with why you:
find it difficult to trust how you feel
doubt or second-guess yourself
find the same difficulties keep surfacing in relationships
feel overwhelmed by things other people seem to brush off
struggle to know what you actually want in your life
can’t stop feeling responsible for other people’s moods
don’t really know who you are underneath all the “shoulds” and expectations
When life shifts
Or perhaps something more recent has unsettled your sense of who you are. Someone you love has died, a relationship has ended, or a career has changed. Even the changes you wanted can leave you questioning what comes next. Loss can leave you grieving not only who, or what, is no longer there, but also the version of yourself you were before, and the future you thought you were moving towards.
Sometimes, it’s when the familiar parts of life shift that we begin to see ourselves differently. Old roles and ways of coping come into sharper focus, and things that once felt necessary may no longer fit.
You might find yourself looking back at what has shaped you, while wondering who you want to be from here.
Finding your way forward
Therapy can offer somewhere to make sense of what has shaped or changed you, and how it’s affecting your life now. Together, we can make room for what you’re carrying, become curious about the patterns that keep showing up, and help you build greater trust in what you feel, need and want — so you can find a way forward that feels more your own.
I’m Laurie Hole, an online BACP-accredited psychotherapeutic counsellor with specialist training in grief, loss and the early relational experiences that shape how we see ourselves.
Online counselling that meets you where you’re at — and helps you find your way forward.
I work exclusively online with adults across the UK and Europe, offering an inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming and LGBTQIA+ allied space where all parts of you are welcome.
Why you might find yourself here:
Low confidence or low self-esteem: doubting yourself even when other people see you as capable, questioning your decisions, or finding it difficult to trust that what you feel, want or need matters too.
Feeling disconnected: perhaps you’ve become so used to doing what’s needed or expected that you’ve lost touch with what you actually want, need or feel, and no longer quite recognise yourself.
Difficulties in relationships: perhaps you’re always the one trying to respond to or manage other people’s feelings, making decisions that avoid conflict, or questioning whether you’re asking for too much. You may be navigating estrangement or complicated relationships with parents, family or friends, or noticing how earlier relationships still affect the way you relate to others now.
Overwhelm, stress and burnout: feeling flat, exhausted or stretched too thin, perhaps after being the capable and dependable one for so long.
Anxiety, depression or low mood: navigating difficult feelings that can affect how you experience yourself, your relationships and everyday life.
Bereavement, Grief & Loss: trying to find your feet after someone important has died or something important has been lost, while the world around you seems to carry on. You might be questioning who you are now, struggling with how much has changed, finding it difficult to do the things you used to, or wondering why your grief doesn’t look or feel the way you expected it to.
Many of the people I work with recognise themselves in several of these experiences, while others may only connect with one or two. Your experience doesn’t need to fit neatly into a category — we can make space for whatever has brought you here.
Ready to take the first step?
Reaching out can feel daunting, but you don't have to figure it all out before you get in touch.