Ellen Penny-Brookes

Ellen Penny-Brookes is a counsellor who helps people facing stress, anxiety, low self-esteem and life changes. She works with adults as individuals and supports people dealing with grief, trauma, relationship difficulties and parenting concerns. Ellen aims to create a calm space where people can talk and start to make sense of difficult feelings.

Ellen trained in psychodynamic counselling and holds a Master’s degree with distinction from the University of Essex. She also completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Person-Centred Counselling from the University of East Anglia. Ellen is registered with the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists, BACP.

In sessions she draws on psychodynamic thinking to explore how past experiences shape present feelings and relationships. She combines this with person-centred listening so people feel heard and understood. Cognitive behavioural ideas are also used to help with patterns such as anxiety and low mood.

She has five years of practice and has helped with a wide range of concerns including addiction, sleep difficulties, eating and body image issues, ADHD-related struggles, and compassion fatigue. Ellen tailors the pace and focus of work to each person’s needs and preferences.

Ellen offers work both in person and remotely using video, voice calls and messaging. If you are unsure whether this is the right time to start, she guides people through what to expect and helps them choose an approach that fits their goals.

How her approaches translate to online work

Ellen uses psychodynamic thinking to look at how early experiences shape present feelings and relationships, helping people understand recurring patterns. She also draws on person-centred principles, offering attentive listening and a collaborative pace so people feel heard and respected. Cognitive behavioural ideas are used when helpful to address anxiety, low mood or unhelpful thought patterns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Ellen discusses goals and preferences with each person and together they choose which methods to try. That cooperative process helps ensure the focus and pace fit what the person needs right now.

She currently offers remote sessions by video, voice call and messaging as well as in-person work, so please confirm the available session options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy life, allow shorter check-ins when needed, or avoid travel on difficult days. Registered or accredited professionals, including therapists who use these approaches, often find online work helps people maintain continuity of care and keeps momentum between meetings.