Luke Brownlee-Williams - BACP Accredited Counsellor & Supervisor

My Background

I’m Luke Brownlee-Williams, a BACP Accredited Counsellor, Psychotherapist, Supervisor, and Trainer with over 15 years of clinical experience. I run a full-time private practice in Stroud and Bristol, and also offer online sessions across the UK. Alongside my client work, I provide supervision for counsellors and psychotherapists and deliver mental health and mindfulness training for organisations.

I am approved by major health insurers including BUPA, Aviva, AXA, Cigna, and WPA.

My Approach

Many of my clients are outwardly successful but inwardly struggling. They often come to counselling when life feels overwhelming, even if it looks fine on the outside.

Common reasons include:

  • Anxiety, stress, or burnout at work or home

  • Feeling stuck, lost, or unable to switch off

  • Relationship difficulties (personal, family, or workplace)

  • Living with ADHD, autism, or other forms of neurodiversity

  • Wanting more than “quick fixes” — seeking lasting change

Starting therapy can feel daunting, but leaving anxiety, stress, or trauma unchecked is usually harder in the long run. My role is to provide a safe, grounded space where you can make sense of your difficulties and begin to move forward.

In our sessions we will:

  • Understand symptoms – how anxiety, stress, or low self-esteem show up in daily life

  • Explore origins – where difficulties began and how past experiences shaped them

  • Build self-compassion – replacing self-criticism with a kinder relationship to yourself

I draw on:

  • Attachment theory – healing through secure, trusting relationships

  • Relational therapy – the therapeutic relationship as a key to change

  • Trauma-informed practice – influenced by Gabor Maté and Bessel van der Kolk, recognising how trauma lives in body and mind

  • Mindfulness & neuroscience – practical tools from Daniel Siegel and others to rewire unhelpful patterns

My Journey into Counselling

Before becoming a therapist, I spent 15 years as a catering manager and entrepreneur, opening several businesses and running my own limited company with an annual turnover of over £300,000. Those years taught me first-hand about pressure, responsibility, and the stresses of leadership — experience that now helps me connect deeply with professionals facing similar challenges.

I retrained at the University of Kent, completing a Diploma in Integrative Counselling, followed by further training at Goldsmiths, University of London in Humanistic & Psychodynamic Counselling. I have also trained in Relational Supervision, Mindfulness, CBT (BPS-accredited Foundation Certificate), NLP, and Clinical Hypnosis.

My early clinical experience included working as a Sessional Counsellor at the University of Kent, supporting students and staff, before moving into NHS roles as a Step 3 High-Intensity Counsellor in Canterbury and Bristol. These posts gave me valuable experience in risk management, assessment, and providing therapy within multidisciplinary healthcare teams.

Since 2019, I have run a full-time private practice in Stroud and Bristol, where I see individuals and couples and provide clinical supervision. I also work with the University of Bristol as a supervisor and have previously supervised practitioners at UWE, St Mungo’s, and Oasis Talking Therapies.

Today, my work focuses on helping adults, couples, and professionals better understand themselves, improve relationships, and find sustainable ways to manage stress and pressure