School Avoidance & EBSA Counselling, Cotswolds

Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), sometimes called school refusal or school anxiety, is when a child finds it very hard to attend school because of anxiety or distress.

It can look like stomach aches on school mornings, tears, shutting down, or refusing to leave the house. It is often complex, and it can be exhausting and isolating for the whole family.

School can be especially overwhelming for Autistic, ADHD and AuDHD children, with noise, sensory demands, social pressure and constant transitions. My aim is to understand what school feels like for your child. I use creative, sensory-friendly approaches such as drawing, play and instruments to help them show me, without needing the right words.

How I can support

Every family's situation is different, so support is tailored to what you need. There are two ways we can work:

Counselling for your child or young person, with regular parent support sessions

Your child has their own confidential space to explore what school feels like and build ways of coping, at a pace that doesn't add pressure. Parent support sessions are separate. Alongside your child's counselling, I meet with you regularly to talk about how things are going at home, in general terms that respect your child's privacy, and to think about what might help. I don't see families together.

Counselling for you as a parent or carer, as a standalone service

Living with school avoidance can bring guilt, worry, exhaustion and conflict with other people's opinions, and parents rarely get space to talk about it. You can come for counselling in your own right if your child is not having counselling with me.

Helping you and your child be heard

I believe families are best placed to speak for themselves. I don't contact schools or attend meetings on your behalf. Instead, I support you and your child to recognise what you need, find the words for it, and feel more confident sharing it, whether that's asking for a quieter space, a gradual return plan or a different way of doing things. The aim is clearer, calmer communication between home and school, led by you.

Why my background matters

Having worked in education for over a decade, I understand how schools work and what staff are often balancing, which helps when thinking through how to approach those conversations. I've also completed CPD training on supporting parents with EBSA.

What I don't offer

Counselling is one part of a wider picture. I don't carry out assessments or diagnose, write reports, or speak to schools on a family's behalf. I'm happy to talk through who else might be involved, such as school, your GP or other services.