Innerstead Online Therapy - General FQA

  • Yes. I provide online therapy to adults living in the United Kingdom and internationally. Sessions are delivered securely via video and follow the BACP Ethical Framework. Online therapy offers the same confidentiality and professional standards as in-person counselling, with added flexibility and convenience

  • My counselling and psychotherapy services are available to clients in the UK, Europe and internationally except the Americas, Canada, Australia and the Middle East. This ensure therapy is delivered within UK jurisdiction and professional regulations.

  • Online therapy can support a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties including:

    • Anxiety & persistent worry

    • Stress & burnout

    • Low mood or emotional exhaustion

    • childhood trauma & adverse experiences

    • Relationship & attachment difficulties

    • High-functioning anxiety & perfectionism

    • Cultural identity & belonging challenges.

    If you are unsure whether therapy is right for your situation, we can explore this during an initial consultation.

  • I am a BACP Accredited Counsellor and Psychotherapist (MBACP Accred) with over five years professional experience. I work using an integrative, trauma-informed approach, drawing from person-centred, psychodynamic ad CBT-informed models.

  • Trauma informed therapy recognises how past experiences - including childhood trauma, neglect or ongoing stress - can affect emotional wellbeing, relationships and self-belief.

    My approach prioritises:

    • Emotional safety

    • Working at a pace that feels manageable

    • Building grounding and regulation skills

    • Understanding patterns rather than re-living experiences

  • Research shows that online therapy/counselling can be as effective as in-person therapy for many difficulties, including anxiety, stress and trauma-related concerns. Many clients find online therapy more accessible and easier to fit into their daily lives.

  • Yes. I have extensive experience providing therapy for high-functioning women including professionals managing stress, emotional overwhelm, burnout and relational difficulties. I also work with adults of all genders.

  • Yes. I offer culturally sensitive therapy and have specialised experience working with Black and minority adults. Culturally identity, faith, migration and intergenerational experiences can be explored safely and respectfully with therapy.

  • Before starting therapy, you will be invited to a 30-minutes initial consultation. This gives us the opportunity to

    • Talk about what brings you to therapy

    • Explore what you would like support with

    • Discuss how I work

    • Ask any questions you may have

    • Decide together whether we would like to work together.

    There is no obligation to continue after this consultation.

  • Therapy can be short-term or long-term, depending on your needs and goals. Some clients attend therapy for a few months, while others prefer longer-term support. This is something we review collaboratively throughout our work together.

  • Most clients attend weekly or fortnightly sessions, each lasting 50 minutes. The frequency is agreed together and an be adjusted as needed.

  • Individual therapy sessions are £60.00 per 50-minutes session. Reduced rates are available when sessions are booked in blocks. A full breakdown of fees is available on the Fees & Availability page.

  • I do not provide crisis or emergency services. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or are at risk of harm, please contact:

    • Your GP/Doctor

    • NHS 111

    • Samaritans - 116 123

    • Emergency services - 999

    If you outside of the UK, please follow your local medical services and support lines for help.

  • Yes. Therapy is confidential and follos BACP ethical guidelines. Confidentiality will be explained fully before therapy begins, including the rare circumstances where information may be shared for safeguarding reasons.

  • You can book an initial consultation directly through the booking page. Once booked, you will received confirmation details and a secure video link

  • If you’re unsure whether therapy is right for you, you’re welcome to get in touch via the contact page.

  • Booking is simple. You can book your initial consultation directly through the secure online booking link on the website. Choose a time that suits you, complete a short intake form (so I understand what you’re looking for), and you’ll receive an email confirmation with your session details and next steps. If you have any questions before booking, you can also use the Contact page to send a message.

  • InnerStead Therapy offers integrative online therapy for women experiencing anxiety, stress, emotional overwhelm, and the pressure of “holding it all together.” Support may include:

    • Anxiety management and calming the nervous system

    • Stress and overwhelm support (including workplace and caregiver stress)

    • Burnout prevention and recovery

    • Emotional regulation and coping strategies

    • Self-esteem, confidence, and inner critic work

    • Relationship and attachment-focused support

    • Boundary-setting, assertiveness, and people-pleasing patterns

    • Trauma-informed therapy for the impact of difficult past experiences

      Your therapy is tailored—so we focus on what is most relevant to your needs, pace, and goals.

  • Fees are displayed clearly on the Fees & Availability page. Typically, pricing is based on:

    • Session type (initial consultation vs ongoing therapy)

    • Session length (e.g., standard 50 minutes)

    • Frequency (weekly, fortnightly, or flexible options)

    If you’re unsure what you need, the initial consultation is the best place to discuss the most suitable plan for you.

  • Yes. InnerStead Therapy provides online sessions for UK-based clients and  also offer therapy internationally depending on your location and what is permitted by local regulations. If you are outside the UK, you can get in touch before booking to confirm whether therapy can be offered in your country and what framework will apply.

  • InnerStead Therapy is led by Aisha Abdulsalam Winningah, a UK-trained integrative counsellor/psychotherapist. She is BACP accredited and holds:

    • MSc in Psychology

    • BSc (Hons) in Counselling and Coaching

    Aisha has over five years of experience supporting young people and adults with emotional wellbeing, anxiety, low mood, trauma-related difficulties, and relationship challenges—offering therapy that is both compassionate and practical.

  • Trauma-informed online therapy is especially helpful if you grew up feeling unseen, unheard, or emotionally unsupported and now find yourself over functioning, people-pleasing, or struggling with self-worth. Benefits often include:

    • Understanding how emotional neglect can shape anxiety, relationships, and self-esteem

    • Learning to regulate stress responses (e.g., chronic “fight/flight/freeze” or shutdown)

    • Reducing shame and self-blame by making sense of patterns with compassion

    • Building boundaries and healthier relational dynamics

    • Strengthening self-trust, emotional awareness, and confidence

    • Creating safety internally—so you can feel calmer, clearer, and more grounded

    Online delivery also offers privacy, consistency, and access from wherever you are.

  • You can access tailored online therapy directly through InnerStead Therapy via the website’s Services and Booking pages. Therapy is designed for women who appear “fine” on the outside but feel emotionally overloaded, anxious, stretched thin, or disconnected on the inside. If you’re unsure whether this is the right fit, start with an initial consultation to explore your needs.

  • When choosing a therapist for high-achieving burnout, look for:

    • Experience working with perfectionism, anxiety, over-responsibility, and emotional overwhelm

    • A warm but structured approach—supportive, yet practical and goal-aware

    • A trauma-informed lens (burnout can be intensified by older patterns like hyper-independence or people-pleasing)

    • Clear boundaries, confidentiality, and ethical practice

    • A style that feels emotionally safe—where you can be honest without fear of judgment

    Most importantly: after an initial session, ask yourself whether you felt understood, respected, and able to exhale.

  • Yes—InnerStead Therapy supports women who struggle with people-pleasing, guilt, over-giving, and difficulty saying no. Therapy can help you:

    • Understand where people-pleasing patterns come from (family roles, attachment, cultural expectations, past experiences)

    • Reduce guilt and fear of disappointing others

    • Build assertiveness and clearer communication

    • Strengthen boundaries without becoming “hard” or disconnected

    • Develop self-respect, confidence, and healthier relationships

    If this resonates, boundary work can be a focused part of your therapy plan.

Developmental Trauma FAQs | InnerStead Therapy

  • Appearing capable on the outside does not always reflect how you feel within. You may be dependable, productive and successful while privately experiencing anxiety, exhaustion, self-doubt or emotional disconnection.

    For some people, staying busy, striving for perfection or relying only on themselves developed as ways of coping with criticism, uncertainty, emotional neglect or pressure earlier in life. Although these strategies may once have helped you feel safer or more accepted, they can eventually leave you feeling overwhelmed and unable to rest.

    These experiences do not automatically mean that you have developmental trauma. Current stress, burnout, loss and other mental-health difficulties may also contribute. Therapy offers a compassionate space to understand what lies beneath your capable exterior and develop ways of living that feel calmer, more connected and sustainable.

  • Yes. Childhood difficulties do not always involve a single, clearly identifiable traumatic event. Emotional neglect can occur when a child’s need for comfort, reassurance, protection or emotional understanding is repeatedly unmet.

    You may have had caregivers who provided materially or did the best they could, while still feeling that there was little space for your emotions. As an adult, this may affect how easily you recognise your needs, trust others, ask for support, manage difficult feelings or feel secure in close relationships.

    This does not mean that you must label your childhood, blame your family or view yourself as damaged. Therapy can help you explore your experiences at your own pace, understand how they may be affecting you now and develop a more compassionate relationship with yourself.

  • They can be, although these patterns are not proof that someone has experienced developmental trauma.

    People-pleasing may develop when maintaining harmony or gaining approval once felt important for emotional safety. Perfectionism can become a way of avoiding criticism, rejection or shame. Hyper-independence may reflect an early belief that relying on others is unsafe or that your needs are burdensome.

    These patterns may also be influenced by culture, family expectations, personality, work demands and current relationships. Therapy is not about removing qualities such as independence, care or ambition. It can help you understand when these strengths are serving you and when they are being driven by fear, allowing you to make choices from a more secure and balanced place.

  • Conflict can activate the mind and body’s threat response, particularly when present-day disagreements resemble earlier experiences of being criticised, dismissed, punished, rejected or emotionally unsafe.

    You may become quiet, emotionally numb, tearful, defensive or intensely anxious before you have had time to understand what is happening. You might withdraw, try to end the disagreement quickly or focus on keeping the other person happy. These responses are often protective rather than deliberate.

    Therapy can help you recognise your early signs of activation, regulate overwhelming emotions and remain more connected to yourself during difficult conversations. It can also support you in expressing your needs and setting boundaries. However, if a relationship is currently abusive or unsafe, your responses may be protecting you, and immediate safety should remain the priority.

  • Our early relationships can influence what we learn to expect from closeness, care and emotional connection. If love or attention felt inconsistent, conditional, intrusive or unavailable, you may find it difficult to trust that relationships will remain safe and stable.

    In adulthood, this can appear as fear of rejection, difficulty setting boundaries, becoming overly responsible for others, withdrawing when intimacy increases or remaining in relationships that do not meet your needs. You may also question your worth or feel that you must earn love by being useful, undemanding or perfect.

    These patterns are not personal failings, nor are they fixed. Therapy can help you understand their origins, recognise what you need within relationships and develop healthier ways of experiencing trust, closeness and emotional safety.

  • There is no single approach that is right for everyone. The most appropriate therapy will depend on your experiences, current symptoms, goals, safety and preferred way of working.

    Trauma-informed therapy prioritises emotional safety, trust, choice, collaboration and careful pacing. It should not pressure you to disclose painful experiences before you feel ready.

    At InnerStead Therapy, I work integratively, drawing on person-centred, psychodynamic, attachment-informed and CBT-informed approaches. This allows us to explore how earlier experiences may shape your present emotions and relationships while also developing practical ways to manage anxiety, overwhelm and unhelpful patterns.

    InnerStead supports adults experiencing mild-to-moderate trauma-related distress. Where someone requires specialist assessment or treatment for PTSD, complex PTSD, severe dissociation or significant risk, I may recommend support from their GP or an appropriate specialist trauma service.

  • “High-functioning” is not a clinical diagnosis. It is often used to describe women who appear competent, dependable and successful while privately struggling with significant emotional distress.

    You may be accustomed to supporting everyone else, meeting high expectations and continuing despite exhaustion. Rest may create guilt, boundaries may feel selfish, and asking for help may leave you feeling exposed or ashamed.

    Trauma-informed therapy offers a space where you do not have to perform, prove yourself or hold everything together. It can help you understand the experiences beneath these patterns, recognise and regulate your emotions, reduce shame, strengthen boundaries and reconnect with your own needs. The purpose is not to take away your strength, but to help you experience strength without continually abandoning yourself.

  • Online therapy can provide a consistent and accessible space to explore emotional difficulties and relationship patterns from the privacy of your own environment.

    During therapy, we may examine what happens when you feel criticised, rejected, overlooked or emotionally unsafe. You can begin to recognise recurring patterns, understand the beliefs and protective responses beneath them and practise healthier ways of communicating, regulating emotions and setting boundaries.

    Online therapy can be particularly helpful for adults who value flexibility or find travelling to appointments difficult. However, it is not suitable for every person or every level of need. We will consider your privacy, safety, circumstances and therapeutic needs before deciding whether online work is appropriate.

    InnerStead Therapy provides culturally sensitive, trauma-informed online therapy for adults in the UK.