About Us - Purple Minds
Purple Minds Counselling Service is dedicated to providing high-quality counselling services focusing on the healing and growth of our clients.
Our skilled team of counsellors employs creative, solution-focused techniques to effectively tackle a variety of mental health challenges.
With compassion and expertise, we guide our clients through anxiety, grief, relationship issues, and more, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for every individual.
Our approach is tailored to the unique needs of families and individuals, making sure that your journey towards mental wellness is personal and impactful.
Ready to Start Your Journey?
Our team
Our team consists of highly qualified and motivated professionals, who are all experts in their field. With many years of experience in the industry, they have the expertise to provide comprehensive, first-rate services to our clients.
Catherine Thomson (Kate)
Counsellor
Hello, my name is Catherine, but please call me Kate, and I’m a fully qualified counsellor and a member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy).
I have been working with children, adolescents, adults, couples and families with the following presenting concerns: changes in family dynamics; bereavement or other loss such as work, home etc; Illness, accident or trauma, depression, anxiety, worries or stress about the past, the present or the future; Isolation, loneliness or difficulties in a social setting, bullying, body image and more.
I am a Person Centred Counsellor who uses creative and solution focused tools to work with my clients. Which means depending on how you are as a person will inform the tools that I use for example I work with sand tray therapy, Russian dolls, letter writing, vision boards, mindfulness, psychoeducation, narrative and play therapy and more.
I work solution focused to help you to: Control your negative thoughts & behaviours | Manage your feelings | Reduce your anxiety | Focus your mind | Set your Goals | Resolve problems | Own your own values | Assert your boundaries | Empower you to be you.
Lets work together to help you make changes you need to improve your wellbeing,
I will walk with you on your journey - listening, supporting and understanding
Background/experience
My work as a therapist has been for charitable organisations such as Mind and Action for Carers. As well as in the private sector with BUPA and my own private practice. I have helped couples and individuals both face to face and online. My work covers diverse backgrounds, cultures and sexual orientations.
Prior to training as a counsellor, I had a varied career. From running my own businesses, to working for corporate companies through to becoming chairperson of the Parent Teachers Association at my children’s school.
• My approach is non -judgement, friendly and professional. Hopefully, enabling free flowing, honest communication between us.
• I use a variety of tools and techniques to assist in helping you both to try and understand yourselves as well as each other. Thus, allowing you to see the situation through each other’s eyes.
• My counselling style is flexible and tailored to you and your unique situation.
• I will guide you and offer support but the choices you make are down to you
• I have wealth of knowledge and experience that enables me to understand your unique situation. Alongside the tools to help you to move forward with confidence.
How Therapy Can Help
Therapy can help you to understand and accept you. By challenging your thought processes and equip you with the tools to help you to manage your inner conflicts and yourself more effectively.
Therapy creates a safe, confidential space for you to learn, listen and understand what is going on for you. Along with helping you to explore any unhelpful patterns of behaviour and thought processes, that might have developed over time.
Together, we will work towards a better understanding what you need as an individual to enable you to move forward in whichever way you choose.
Additional areas of focus: Coping with addictions, LGBTQ+ related issues, Family conflicts, Trauma and abuse, Intimacy related issues, Sleeping disorders, Parenting issues, Anger management, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Depression, Compassion fatigue, Concentration, memory and focus (ADHD), Abandonment, Attachment issues, Autism and Asperger Syndrome, Avoidant personality, Blended family issues, Body image, Caregiver issues and stress, Chronic pain, illness, and disability, Co-dependency, Commitment issues, Communication problems, Control issues, Dependent personality, Divorce and separation, Eating and food-related issues, Family problems, Forgiveness, Guilt and shame, Hoarding, Isolation / loneliness, Jealousy, Life purpose, Midlife crisis, Mood disorders, Multicultural concerns, Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Pregnancy and childbirth, Prejudice and discrimination, Self-love, Social anxiety and phobia, Women's issues, Workplace issues
Clinical approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Existential Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems
Lisa Goodman
Life Coach
I’m here to walk alongside you, helping you navigate those moments where you feel stuck.
Together, we can uncover what’s been holding you back, gently shift limiting beliefs, and explore tools and perspectives that help you move forward with greater confidence, clarity, and self-trust—so you can step into the full potential that’s already within you and create a life that feels true to you.
My own journey has been shaped by many seasons—years in the corporate world across the UK and Europe, where I sometimes felt like just one small part of a much bigger system, unsure of my own direction. When I reached a crossroads, I sought the support of a coach. That experience, combined with my love of yoga, trust in intuition, and belief in the power of mindset, sparked a transformation that inspired me to help others find their own way.
Life has brought its share of challenges, and there have been times I let other voices drown out my own. Yet through it all, I held on to the quiet knowing that there was more—more joy, more purpose, more connection—waiting to be rediscovered.
Coaching feels like a calling for me. My background in Business Development taught me how to connect with people from all walks of life, and my daily yoga practice keeps me grounded in balance and presence. I bring a holistic, compassionate approach to supporting others—meeting you exactly where you are, honouring your unique path, and walking with you as you uncover your own way forward.
Volunteer Counselling Placements
We offer student placements for people who are undertaking training at diploma,degree, or masters level in counselling and psychotherapy. We will support you throughout
your entire time with us, offering help and advice where you need it, and providing
you with training and other information that you can apply to your professional
and personal development. We already have students from a wide range of universities
and colleges, some of which we are affiliated with, and have proudly seen many of our
students develop into fully qualified practitioners through us.
Our Placements
Involve working one-to-one with adults in person, we will ask that you undertake a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) Check before starting with us. This will be arranged after your interview.
All students will be required to commute to Hornchurch, Essex. We do not offer remote placements.
How To Apply
To apply for a placement, please email your CV to kate@purpleminds.org.
Please note we will need both your application and CV back before we can review your application.