About me - Catriona Ross
A few things make my practice a little different.
I've spent much of my career working with people who have felt overlooked, misunderstood, or excluded — and that shapes how I work. I bring specialist experience with young adults and with parents and carers of children with SEND. I'm committed to working in a way that is inclusive, affirming, and anti-oppressive. And I draw on a training in both counselling and play therapy, to offer support that is attuned, flexible, and human.
I'm passionate about helping people understand themselves more deeply and navigate life's challenges with greater clarity, confidence, and resilience.
My background
My career began in sexual health, where I specialised in supporting young adults. I worked for several years as a Sexual Health Adviser in an NHS clinic in Central London. An important part of that role involved giving HIV diagnoses and supporting clients in the weeks and months that followed. It was this experience — sitting with people at some of the most challenging moments of their lives — that led me to train as a counsellor. I qualified as a person-centred counsellor in 2008.
Through my subsequent work with adolescents, I discovered that not everyone can engage fully with traditional talking therapy. To broaden my practice, I trained in play therapy and have been a BAPT-registered play therapist since 2012. This creative approach strengthened my ability to build meaningful therapeutic relationships with young people, and marked the beginning of my work with children.
I went on to gain extensive experience providing therapeutic support in schools, colleges, and community settings, working with many neurodivergent children and young people navigating an education system that often struggled to understand or meet their needs. This work led to a deep and lasting commitment to supporting children with SEND and their families — and to a first-hand understanding of the emotional toll that advocacy, daily challenges, and feeling unheard within broken systems can take.
My approach and values
At the heart of my work is the belief that meaningful change grows out of a trusting, authentic relationship. When you feel listened to, respected, and accepted as you are, it becomes possible to explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with honesty and compassion.
I aim to offer a space that feels safe, genuine, and non-judgemental — somewhere you don't have to hide parts of yourself or meet expectations. Within that kind of relationship, many people begin to reconnect with their own strengths, and develop the resilience and confidence to navigate life's challenges.
My commitment to inclusion
I'm committed to working in a respectful, affirming, and anti-oppressive way. I recognise how inequality, discrimination, and social pressures can affect mental health and wellbeing.
Much of my work has been with clients who have experienced racism, stigma, exclusion, and marginalisation — including black and brown clients, queer and trans clients, neurodivergent young people, and previously looked-after children. I'm deeply aware that therapy itself can sometimes reflect wider power imbalances. For this reason, I place great importance on working collaboratively and transparently, and I continually reflect on my own practice to ensure I'm not unintentionally reinforcing harmful dynamics.
I'm proud to be from South London, and I remain committed to supporting vulnerable and marginalised young people in my community alongside my private practice work.
Working together
Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, stuck, exhausted, or simply curious about understanding yourself better, you are welcome here.
If you'd like to find out whether we'd be a good fit, you're welcome to book a free 15-minute phone call — a relaxed, no-obligation chat where you can ask questions and get a sense of how I work.