Paula Sharland Counselling

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I’m a fully qualified Integrative Counsellor (MBACP) based in Heavitree, Exeter. I work with clients both in-person and remotely across the UK and internationally via MS Teams.

My approach is rooted in helping others reconnect to themselves—whether that means navigating overwhelm, deepening self-awareness, or simply finding a space to feel seen. I believe therapy isn’t about “fixing” you—it’s about offering you a space that belongs entirely to you, where you’re met without judgement, pressure, or expectation. Life isn’t always something we can solve, but we can shift how we carry it. That’s the power of counselling—and the space where the medical model so often falls short.

My professional path has been anything but linear. I began in sales as an estate agent, drawn to communication and negotiation—but disillusioned by the industry’s fixation on targets over people. After having my youngest daughter in 2011, I spent several years immersed in caregiving, supporting my then-partner’s mother after her diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s. I also co-directed and helped build a successful business during that time. But over the years, one thing became clear: I needed my work to have meaning.

That realisation led me into roles supporting individuals with learning disabilities, acquired brain injuries, dementia, and complex care needs. It was here I found my true calling—and I followed that into mental health. I enrolled at university in my early 30s as a working mother and later graduated with a degree in Integrative Counselling, becoming a registered member of the BACP.

My post-qualification years were spent working in NHS crisis services and community mental health, including within complex needs and personality disorder services. Alongside this, I built my private practice. In 2021, I made the decision to leave the NHS and commit to private work full-time—a choice I’ve never looked back on.

I now work with a broad range of clients across ages and backgrounds. Many of the people who find me are navigating key transitions—relationship changes, identity shifts, burnout, grief, or crossroads in life. I also have experience supporting university students, and I work extensively with parents of neurodivergent and SEN children. My integrative training allows me to adapt to what each client needs rather than follow a rigid method—therapy with me is intuitive, grounded, and relational.

Neurodiversity is a particular area of interest, both personally and professionally. I’ve undertaken progressive training delivered by neurodivergent practitioners and welcome both neurotypical and neurodivergent clients into my space.

What matters most to me is the relationship we build. I don’t take a hierarchical position—I sit beside you, not above you (metaphorically, of course). I believe in therapy that feels natural, deeply human, and safe enough to hold both pain and possibility.

I love the diversity of the people I work with, across all genders, races, sexualities, cultures, and belief systems. I continue to hold a number of concessionary rate sessions to support accessibility. I also hold an enhanced DBS certificate.