Online Counselling for Young Adults (18–25) – Anita Cottle
Anita Cottle
BACP-Registered Integrative Counsellor
Pronouns: She/Her
✓ BACP-registered counsellor (MBACP)
✓ Experience supporting young people and neurodivergent adults
✓ Support for anxiety, low mood, self-esteem and relationships
✓ Understanding of ADHD, autism and neurodivergence
✓ Integrative, person-centred and trauma-informed approach
✓ Free 15-minute introductory call
Online counselling for young adults navigating life's challenges
Your late teens and twenties can be an exciting time, but they can also bring uncertainty, pressure and emotional challenges. Whether you're starting university, entering the workplace, navigating relationships or trying to understand yourself better, it isn't always easy to know where to turn for support.
Anita Cottle is a warm, compassionate BACP-registered integrative counsellor who offers a supportive, non-judgemental space to explore your thoughts, feelings and experiences.
Anita has a particular background in working with children and young people, alongside experience supporting neurodivergent adults, including those with ADHD and autism. Her work focuses on helping people understand their emotions, manage anxiety and stress, develop confidence and navigate difficult experiences.
Finding your feet in adulthood
Between 18 and 25, life can involve significant changes. You may be adjusting to university, managing new responsibilities, struggling with friendships or relationships, or feeling uncertain about your future.
For some, this period also brings questions about identity, independence, family relationships and the expectations of others.
Anita offers space to explore these experiences at your own pace, without pressure to have everything figured out. Together, you can begin to understand patterns in your thoughts, emotions and relationships, and develop ways of responding to life's challenges that feel more manageable.
Understanding ADHD, autism and neurodivergence
Anita has experience supporting neurodivergent children, young people and adults, including people with ADHD and autism.
She understands that neurodivergence can influence emotional wellbeing, communication, relationships and everyday experiences. Some young adults may also be coming to terms with a recent diagnosis or beginning to explore whether they might be neurodivergent.
Anita adapts her counselling approach to suit each person's communication preferences, strengths, emotional needs and individual experiences.
Therapy can provide an opportunity to better understand yourself, explore experiences of overwhelm or feeling misunderstood, and develop greater self-acceptance.
A counselling approach tailored to you
Anita works integratively, drawing on person-centred, attachment-based, humanistic and psychodynamic approaches.
This means she doesn't follow a rigid, one-size-fits-all method. Instead, she takes time to understand you as an individual and adapts sessions around your experiences, preferences and goals.
Her approach is compassionate, collaborative and trauma-informed, with particular attention to building a trusting therapeutic relationship.
You don't need to know exactly what is wrong or what you want to talk about before beginning counselling. Anita can help you explore what has been happening and what you might like to change.
Her aim is to help you feel heard and understood, develop greater awareness of your emotions and relationships, and feel more confident navigating the challenges you face.Conditions & Difficulties Treated
Conditions & Difficulties Treated
Anxiety, mood and emotional wellbeing
Anxiety and excessive worry
Low mood and depression
Stress and feeling overwhelmed
Low self-esteem and lack of confidence
Difficulties managing emotions
Anger and frustration
Loneliness and social isolation
Difficulty identifying or expressing feelings
Self-harm concerns, subject to individual suitability and risk assessment
ADHD, autism and neurodivergence
ADHD
Autism
Understanding neurodivergent identity
Emotional and sensory overwhelm
Adjusting to a diagnosis
Communication differences
Self-esteem and self-acceptance
Relationship difficulties associated with neurodivergence
University, work and life transitions
Adjusting to university or further education
Academic and exam-related stress
Pressure to succeed
Perfectionism and procrastination
Transitioning into employment
Uncertainty about the future
Managing independence and new responsibilities
Changes in routine and circumstances
Relationships, family and identity
Friendship and social difficulties
Romantic relationship concerns
Family conflict and changing family dynamics
Attachment difficulties
Fear of abandonment
Difficulties with trust and emotional closeness
Exploring identity and sense of self
Setting boundaries and developing independence
Trauma, grief and personal experiences
Difficult childhood experiences
Attachment-related difficulties
Grief, bereavement and loss
Family separation and changes
Bullying and its emotional impact
Body image concerns
Emotional difficulties associated with health conditions
Understanding the impact of past experiences on present relationships
Therapeutic Approaches & Models
Integrative Counselling
Person-Centred Therapy
Attachment-Focused Therapy
Humanistic Therapy
Psychodynamic Therapy
Mindfulness
Trauma-Informed Practice
Creative therapeutic techniques, where appropriate
Anita works with:
Young adults aged 18–25
People experiencing anxiety, low mood and emotional difficulties
Neurodivergent young adults, including those with ADHD and autism
Young people navigating relationships, education, employment and life changes
Professional Training & Accreditations
Diploma in Child Counselling, Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education – completed 2020
Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP)
BACP registration number: 392292
Training in trauma-informed practice
Training in attachment theory
Training in child development and safeguarding
Over 400 hours of online counselling experience with children and young people
150 clinical hours completed in schools and family-support settings
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Anita has a background in counselling children and young people, alongside experience supporting neurodivergent adults. Her integrative approach can be adapted to the emotional and relationship challenges that young adults experience. An introductory call provides an opportunity to discuss your needs and whether Anita is the right therapist for you.
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Yes. Anita supports people experiencing anxiety, low mood, stress, self-esteem difficulties and emotional overwhelm. Counselling can help you explore what contributes to these feelings, understand patterns in your thinking and relationships, and develop healthier ways of responding to challenges.
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Anita supports young people experiencing anxiety, low mood, stress, low self-esteem, school difficulties, bullying, grief, family changes, relationship concerns and difficulty understanding or managing emotions. Suitability is considered individually so that each young person receives the right level of support.
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Yes. Anita has experience supporting neurodivergent people, including adults with ADHD and autism. She adapts her sessions to suit individual communication preferences, emotional needs and sensory experiences, creating a supportive environment for exploration and self-understanding.
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The free 15-minute introductory call provides an opportunity to meet Anita, briefly discuss the support being sought and ask questions about how therapy may work. For a child or teenager, Anita can also explain how she establishes a safe and comfortable online therapeutic relationship.
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Counselling can provide a space to explore feelings of pressure, uncertainty, perfectionism and overwhelm. Anita can help you better understand your emotional responses and explore the difficulties you may be experiencing during periods of change. Although university and career transitions are relevant topics for this age group, the suitability of Anita's experience for your individual circumstances can be discussed during the introductory call.
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Yes. Anita's integrative approach draws on attachment-based and psychodynamic ideas, allowing space to explore family experiences, relationship patterns and difficulties with trust, closeness or boundaries. Counselling can help you understand how earlier experiences may influence your relationships today.
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Yes. As an adult, your counselling is confidential within the usual professional, legal and safeguarding limits. Anita will explain confidentiality and any relevant exceptions before therapy begins. Parents or family members are not routinely involved in adult counselling without your consent.