Alex McStea

I work with women and teenage girls (11+) who are struggling with anxiety, body image or low self esteem. From the outside, you might look like you’re coping: going to school or work and keeping everything together. Inside, your mind can feel chaotic, critical and exhausting to live with.

I offer a warm, supportive space where you, or your daughter, can feel truly heard and accepted exactly as you are. I won’t tell you how you should feel or who you need to be. I meet you where you are and go at your pace.

If you’re a parent reading this on behalf of your daughter, this is for you too. I work with a lot of high school age young people, and I’m based in Burscough, offering sessions face to face and online.

I’m a person-centred counsellor with a BA (Hons) in Counselling and Psychotherapy from Edge Hill University. I’m also a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

Over the past seven years I’ve supported teenagers and women across schools, charities, bereavement services and private practice. I now run Break the Cycle Therapy, my private practice, seeing clients at Latham House Consulting Rooms in Burscough and online.

I’ve also trained as an intuitive eating counsellor, so if food and body image are part of what’s going on, that’s familiar territory for me. In addition, I hold a Level 2 qualification in Understanding Autism, and I’ve completed further training across a range of specialisms to keep my practice informed and up to date.

My focus is anxiety, body image and low self esteem in women and teenage girls. Many of the people I see are overthinking conversations, comparing themselves to others, or coming away feeling they’re not good enough. Anxiety can show up socially, in relationships, or when life feels overwhelming, and it’s easy to end up blaming yourself or feeling “too sensitive”.

Being critical of your body is often where all of this lands, a way of trying to feel more in control when everything else feels uncertain. Underneath, there’s usually a question about self worth: whether you’re enough, whether you belong, whether you’re allowed to just be, without earning it.

I also support young people who are struggling more visibly, including emotionally based school avoidance and difficulty coping with emotions. If food and your relationship with your body are part of the picture, we can explore that with compassion, drawing on my intuitive eating training.

I work in a person-centred way, which means you set the pace and I follow your lead. Sessions are relaxed and tailored to you. We gently explore the patterns that might be keeping you stuck, such as being hard on yourself, comparing yourself to others, or feeling you’re never quite “good enough”. Together we start to question where those beliefs came from, while also finding practical ways to manage anxiety day to day.

Alongside talking, I may bring in creative or practical tools if that suits how you process things best. Over time, many clients notice their inner voice becoming softer, anxiety feeling easier to navigate, and a more grounded, confident sense of self beginning to grow.

If you think I might be the right fit for you or your daughter, I offer a free 20 minute phone or video consultation. There’s no pressure. It’s simply a chance to ask questions, share what’s brought you to therapy and get a feel for how I work.