Integrative Child and Adolescent Counsellor

About Kaya

Supporting children, young people and families with warmth, curiosity and an integrative approach that recognises the connection between mind, body and relationships.

Kaya Winney, integrative child and adolescent counsellor

Kaya Winney, Dip.Couns., MSc Oxon, MBACP

A Warm, Creative and Individual Approach

Kaya Winney is an integrative child and adolescent counsellor with over 18 years of experience supporting children, young people and families across education, mental health organisations and private practice.

She is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), with particular experience in attachment, trauma, relational work and supporting neurodivergent children and young people.

Kaya works with children from the age of five, teenagers, young adults and parents. Rather than following one fixed method, she adapts her work to the individual, their developmental stage, personality, experiences and needs.

Her work is grounded in emotional safety, authenticity and connection, helping clients feel seen, heard and understood while developing greater awareness of themselves, their emotions, relationships and bodies.

Professional Experience

My Background & Training

Professional training and experience across counselling, education, mental health and wellbeing.

Diploma in Integrative Child & Adolescent Counselling (Terapia)
Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP)
MSc in Comparative & International Education, University of Oxford
Reiki Practitioner – Levels 1 & 2, with training in the UK and Ireland; currently undertaking one-year Reiki Master training
Breathwork Training – Levels 1 & 2
10+ years of experience in education across primary, secondary, higher education and independent schools
4+ years working within mental health charities, including Riverside Counselling Service and The Abingdon Bridge
One year working within a sexual abuse and rape crisis centre
Experience as a Harassment Advisor within a university setting
Integrative & Holistic

My Approach: A Mind–Body Connection

Kaya believes meaningful therapeutic work involves understanding both the mind and the body. Sessions may draw on a range of approaches depending on the client's age, needs, preferences and therapeutic goals.

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Play, Art & Movement

Creative ways for children and young people to explore and express emotions when words may not feel enough.

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Breathwork & Mindfulness

Supporting nervous system regulation, emotional awareness and the development of greater resilience.

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Energy Work

Where appropriate, Reiki, tapping and energy psychotherapy may be incorporated to support emotional balance, self-awareness and mind–body connection.

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Attachment & Trauma-Focused Work

Creating emotional safety while exploring attachment, relationships and experiences that may continue to influence the present.

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Psychoeducation

Helping clients understand emotions, behaviours, nervous system responses and patterns in ways that feel accessible and empowering.

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Person-Centred Counselling

Sessions are shaped around the individual rather than a predetermined formula, allowing therapy to develop at a pace that feels manageable.

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Systemic Awareness

Exploring how family relationships, culture, life experiences and intergenerational patterns may influence the way we understand ourselves and others.

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Collaborative & Holistic

Where appropriate and with the client's consent, Kaya values collaborative work alongside other practitioners and professionals supporting the person's overall wellbeing.

Common Experiences

Common Themes in My Clients

Every person is different, but some of the patterns and experiences Kaya commonly explores with clients include:

High achievers who continue to feel “never good enough”, including perfectionism and imposter feelings.
Self-abandonment and self-neglect, including consistently putting other people's needs first and struggling to set boundaries.
Social anxiety, fear of judgement and feeling disconnected from themselves or others.
Repressed anger, excessive people-pleasing and “good girl / good boy” patterns.
Children and young people growing up with high expectations, including within military, medical and academic families.
Emotional caretakers – children or adults who learned early to focus on other people's emotions and needs.
Loneliness, feeling misunderstood, different or struggling to find a sense of belonging.
Growing up with separated or divorced parents and navigating blended or complex family dynamics.
Identity & Lived Experience

A Space Where You Can Be Yourself

Kaya values diversity and brings cultural sensitivity, openness and curiosity to her work. She has experience supporting children and families from a wide range of cultural, ethnic and mixed-heritage backgrounds, as well as neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ young people. Identity, culture and lived experience are welcomed as meaningful parts of the therapeutic relationship.

Neurodivergent affirming LGBTQ+ affirming Mixed-heritage families Cultural sensitivity Trauma-informed Attachment-focused

Would You Like to Speak with Kaya?

Get in touch to ask a question, share a little about what has been happening and explore whether Kaya's approach may be right for you, your child or your family.

Contact Kaya