Good Enough Counsellors

What does a neuro-affirming practice look like in the therapy room?
As awareness of neurodivergence grows, many therapists want to work in ways that better support their neurodivergent clients. But moving beyond theory and knowing how to apply neuro-affirming practice in real life can feel challenging.
In this episode of Good Enough Counsellors, I'm delighted to welcome back Louise Lucas who described how she'd discovered her own autism and ADHD in episode 7, and how this had transformed her personal life and practice.
Since then she's continued to develop her Neurodivergent Wellbeing Model and has written a book: A Therapeutic Workbook for Supporting the Wellbeing of Neurodivergent Clients.
In this conversation, Louise explains how her own experiences shaped her work and why neuro-affirming practice is about far more than understanding a diagnosis. We explore how therapists can help clients move from shame and self-criticism towards self-understanding, compassion and a sustainable wellbeing.
Takeaways:
What neuro-affirming practice means in everyday therapy
The Neurodivergent Wellbeing Model and the Two Spirals
Why knowledge, understanding and acceptance all matter
Understanding "spiky profiles"
Why context is essential when working with neurodivergent clients
Helping clients move from shame to self-compassion
Supporting regulation through basic needs and sustainable self-care
What every therapist should understand about working with neurodivergent clients

About Louise Lucas
Louise Lucas is a therapist, supervisor and trainer specialising in neurodivergent wellbeing and neuro-affirming practice. She developed the Neurodivergent Wellbeing Model to help therapists and clients better understand regulation, self-compassion and sustainable wellbeing.
Her new book, A Therapeutic Workbook for Supporting the Wellbeing of Neurodivergent Clients, is published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers in September 2026.
You can find out more at Louise's website curiosityspot.co.uk
Links:
Find out about Therapy Growth Group or join to participate in the Make Your Profile Work Sprint HERE
Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERE
Need ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HERE
You can also find me here:
The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook Group
Josephine Hughes on Facebook
Josephine Hughes on YouTube
My website: josephinehughes.com
The information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.
Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.

You spend years working towards a qualification. But after the structure of assignments and placements - and the company of tutors and fellow students - comes to an end, it can leave you wondering what comes next.
Should you look for employment, start a private practice or something else?
In this episode, I share my own experience of finishing counselling training, share why this stage can feel unsettling - and most importantly, how you can move forward without needing to have everything worked out in advance.
Takeaways:
The loss of structure that newly qualified counsellors experience and how that impacts them
How self-doubt can show up after qualification
Why you don't need the whole plan before you begin
The importance of support, supervision and community
Taking the next step towards setting up in private practice

Remember: you don't need to have everything worked out in advance. You don't need the full plan. You just need the next step.
Training: to help you get started in finding clients, I have some short training webinars coming up. You can find out more about them HERE
Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERE
Need ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HERE
You can also find me here:
The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook Group
Josephine Hughes on Facebook
Josephine Hughes on YouTube
My website: josephinehughes.com
The information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.
Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.

Many therapists are concerned about the rise of AI and whether it will replace therapy altogether.
In this episode of Good Enough Counsellors, I'm joined by Ken Kelly, author of Ethical AI Practice. Ken believes that while AI has an important role to play in private practice, it can never replace the human connection at the heart of therapy.
We explore the ethical boundaries, how therapists can use AI safely and the ways it can help us with tasks such as content creation, research and policy writing.
Takeaways:
How to protect client information when using AI
How to assess different AI tools from an ethical perspective
How AI can support therapists in private practice
Using AI to create blogs and posts while still using your own voice
The "reverse interview" exercise for writing your website copy and profiles
The ways that clients are already using AI
The future of counselling in an AI world

Resources:
perplexity.ai
wisprflow.ai
Ethical AI Practice by Ken Kelly, available here: ethicalaipractice.com

Want help finding your professional voice?
Many therapists know they're different but struggle to explain what makes them distinctive to potential clients.
Inside Therapy Growth Group, I help counsellors and psychotherapists identify their niche, communicate their strengths, write profiles and websites that sound like them, and market their practice without feeling pushy or salesy.
Find out more HERE
Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERE
Need ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HERE
You can also find me here:
The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook Group
Josephine Hughes on Facebook
Josephine Hughes on YouTube
My website: josephinehughes.com
Keywords: counselling, AI in therapy, ethical AI practice, mental health technology, private practice tips, client confidentiality, AI for therapists, digital mental health, AI and mental health, counselling ethics, AI in psychotherapy, content generation for therapists
The information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.
Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.

Social media can be a great way to connect with potential clients but it can also be a place that is filled with hostility. This stops many therapists from either setting up a page or from posting on it.
Some of the worries I've heard about from therapists include saying "the wrong thing", being publicly corrected, receiving criticism and being subject to a "pile on". So in this first of a series of episodes around social media boundaries, I explore how you can make your therapy page feel safer for you to use.
Drawing on my own experience of managing online communities and navigating difficult interactions, I share how you can protect your wellbeing and those of your followers - so that you can feel more confident to reach people via your page.
Takeaways
Why social media platforms thrive on outrage
What to do when a comment or interaction leaves you feeling shamed and upset
Why it's important to regulate before responding
Creating boundaries around comments, messages and engagement
Deciding on what atmosphere you want for your page
Why some interactions don't deserve a response
Choosing spaces that are the right fit for you
How boundaries can help you feel more comfortable and confident online

I also share some ideas for social media posts for July 2026, including themes around body image, friendship, loneliness, grief and summer family life.
For information about my training courses, please click HERE and you can find out more information about Therapy Growth Group HERE
Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERE
Need ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HERE
You can also find me here:
The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook Group
Josephine Hughes on Facebook
Josephine Hughes on YouTube
My website: josephinehughes.com
The information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.
Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.

What happens when someone receives a genetic diagnosis? In this episode of Good Enough Counsellors, I'm joined by Uruj Anjum of Saina Therapy.
Before training as a psychotherapist, Uruj spent nine years working within NHS genetics services, supporting individuals and families navigating conditions such as Huntington's disease and other complex inherited disorders. She now specialises in working with clients affected by genetic diagnoses, reproductive decision-making, grief, loss and family dynamics.
We talk about what therapists need to know when supporting clients living with genetic uncertainty, and how genetics may be lying behind presenting issues such as anxiety, grief, relationship difficulties and identity struggles.
Takeaways:
The emotional impact of genetic diagnosis on individuals, couples and families
Anticipatory grief and living with uncertainty
Carrier guilt and the complex emotions that can follow a diagnosis
How attachment patterns can influence the way people respond to genetic testing and diagnosis
The impact of inherited conditions on relationships and family dynamics
Reproductive decision-making and termination for medical reasons
Supporting clients affected by genetic conditions in the therapy room
How therapists can work confidently with clients affected by genetic diagnoses without needing specialist medical expertise

You can connect with Uruj via her website saiynatherapy.co.uk and on instagram @saiynatherapy
Looking for Support with Your Private Practice?
If listening to Uruj's story has got you thinking about your own niche, your marketing or how to attract more of the right clients, I'd love to help.
I run workshops, training and coaching for counsellors in private practice, helping you communicate clearly with potential clients and build a practice that works for you.
Find out more here: josephinehughes.com
Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERE
Need ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HERE
You can also find me here:
The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook Group
Josephine Hughes on Facebook
Josephine Hughes on YouTube
My website: josephinehughes.com
Keywords: genetic counselling, therapy for genetic conditions, mental health and genetics, emotional impact of genetic diagnoses, family dynamics in genetic counselling, genetic testing and therapy, attachment theory and genetics, anticipatory grief in genetic conditions, supporting clients with genetic diagnoses, carrier guilt in genetics, navigating genetic testing decisions, anxiety and genetic diagnoses, therapeutic approaches to genetic issues, stigma around genetic conditions, building confidence in genetic counselling.
The information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.
Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.