Rate Lily Llewellyn

I am licensed in the UK with 3 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with lgbt-related issues, family conflicts, coping with grief and loss, & intimacy related issues. Nobody should have to experience a life of powerlessness, emptiness or despair. My job is to empower you to gain understanding and control of your self and emotions. I work with adults and young people.

Lily, what were you doing before you were counselling?

"I was working and travelling in Europe and generally not getting as much sleep at nights as I should have. I taught English (something I still do a little) and was fortunate to be exposed to different people and ways of living."

How did you start counselling?

"I wanted to know more about how people relate and develop into being themselves so I started counselling training while I was still studying anthropology. I've always been a listener and keen to hear stories so after enough people told me I was a natural counsellor I took a course and bought into the job very quickly."

What made you buy into the job so quickly?

"I suppose I didn't hesitate in knowing that psychotherapy was what I wanted to do. I love the odd contradictions for the therapist. It's a social job, but also lonely. You commit yourself to others, but must constantly work on yourself. You try to help bring about a positive change for the other person, but never experience the fruits of that and may never know exactly what it was that helped. My clients are a mystery to me and yet I'm privileged to be invited into every part of themselves. Also, counselling is so rewarding - it's hard to put into words."

What do you reckon you'd be doing if you weren't counselling?

"Hmm, it's not something I think about too often, though a dream job would be a full-time fundraiser. I'd love to go on overly ambitious exhibitions to raise awareness and money for charities. And write books. I still have a real love for anthropology too... I guess I do know what I'd do."

For you, what would be the best compliment?

"Oh, that I know! I want to make people feel safe. A lot of trust and care and stability go into creating safety. I think there're a lot of elements to feeling safe, and it's the most important thing imaginable. To know someone feels safe around me is the best possible compliment."

Lastly, share with us what you might be doing when you're feeling safe...

*laughs* "Well, a person thrives... To give a short answer, I might simply be doing what I enjoy. I'd probably be reading or out on a long walk. Or eating cake. Cake and I are good friends!"

Experience and Qualifications

2022 - ongoing

Children & Young People Specialism at Aberdeen University

2022 - ongoing

MSc Person-Centred Counselling at Aberdeen University

2022 - to date

Volunteer Counsellor at ChildLine

2022 - to date

School Counsellor

2022 - to date

Counsellor in Private Practice

PGDip Person-Centred Counselling at Aberdeen University

Volunteer Counsellor at The Bounds, Aberdeen

Level 1 - 4 Counselling Skills accredited by COSCA

MA Anthropology at Aberdeen University

Teacher of English and English as a Foreign Language