Testimonials
It can be helpful to hear from others who have worked with me.
Here are some reflections shared by clients I’ve had the privilege to support.
— Beth, Somerset (2025)
“Right from my very first session with Helen, I felt listened to, respected and supported. She has made a huge impact on my life and my relationship with my eating disorder. The therapy sessions were an excellent mixture of therapeutic analysis of childhood experiences, influences and thought models in conjunction with practical and measurable behavioural changes. Helen has not been afraid to push me to challenge my eating disorder voice and has therefore really helped me to gain a more positive and manageable lifestyle. Her sense of humour and compassion have allowed me to feel comfortable and confident to share my innermost feelings and thoughts and to know I will only ever be judged with empathy and kindness. I feel very lucky to have been supported by Helen and would recommend her services to anyone who is ready to receive help with their eating disorder.”
— Zoe, Germany (2024)
“One Christmas, when I was 7 or 8, I decided that I wouldn’t eat any cake that day. I wanted to fit into the cute jeans that my mom had bought me previous that day. Since then I don’t remember a time when I was not worried about how I looked or what I ate. My worth was depending on how small I could become and how little food I could put into my body. I did not want to see that there was a problem - as long as I was getting smaller and smaller, it was worth everything.
For years I tried to feel better and trick myself into believing that I could feel better mentally without having to change my behavior.
Only when I started seeing Helen I started to change my behavior little by little. In the beginning I was sure that no one could ever bring me to change my eating patterns, I would simply talk to Helen and then feel better. It was clear: I would be the first one to get healthy without having to put on weight.
Step by step Helen was suggesting little tasks that I would implement into my week - they had nothing to do with food, just rewiring my brain. We talked about my feelings, my fears, my daily life, my dreams and everything that would come up. I always felt seen and understood by Helen - every session she surprised me with a different exercise that would help me regulate or learn more about what was going on inside of me.
When it actually came to changing my behavior around food, she guided me with a lot of patience and reflection. Now looking back on this, I am sure that without her I would have never actually changed the way I was behaving around food.
I cannot describe how much more quality of life I now have, I don’t binge, I enjoy food, I have energy to do the sports that I love and most of all I have space in my head. I am still learning and sometimes struggling but for me it is clear that Helen helped me to change the course of my life!
And I will always be grateful for this and her positive and warm energy that fills any room with life.”
— Kris, Dublin (2025)
“My therapeutic relationship with Helen Allen began in 2022, and I still depend upon her today. It is a gift to have someone in my corner that just "fits", and with whom real progress can be made. She has been a consistent source of safety, comfort and strength in my life. By giving me tangible tools that empower me every day, and by providing objective insight and honesty, she has helped me to find my way back to myself. With gentleness and understanding, Helen saw me through an extremely difficult period. Now on the other side of that, I still rely on the consistency of our relationship and the solid foundation it built for me. Her guidance has helped me to recognise my own agency, giving me a true sense of stability. I value my sessions with Helen and will continue to rely upon her expertise for as long as she offers it. ”
— Tom, UK (2024)
“Helen is not a generic counsellor. Too often I’ve found therapist to largely parrot my stories and feelings back to me, providing a sense of empathy and understanding, but little challenge or opportunity for developing reflections. Helen shows an understanding of what you are saying, identifies the main emotional impacts and carries them sensitively, as any good counsellor should, but also consistently offered new ways of interpreting, valuing and relating. She sensitively and persistently helped me to be more curious of myself and my world, and in doing so truly helped me through a difficult period.”
— Niamh, Dublin (2025)
“Helen is by far the best therapist I’ve had! From the very beginning, she created a space that felt calm, safe, and supportive. She has a deep understanding of how our minds work and is highly skilled at helping you explore the roots of your anxiety with compassion and clarity! I’ve learned so much about myself and how to navigate anxious thoughts more confidently thanks to her practical techniques and guidance. I couldn’t recommend Helen highly enough!”
— Lisa, Dundee (2025)
“I thought I never want and need therapy again. But living with an eating disorder is like cycling over the Alps. You work hard to reach to the point where you think you can finally relax, but if you are not careful you are rolling downhill again. Helen showed me that ups and downs are part of my journey, she helped me understand how I can learn from every situation which I so quickly judged as my flaws, mistakes, and imperfections. Fighting against those perceptions made the uphill-cycling more exhausting to where I did not have the energy anymore to see my achievements. Helen re-established my trust in therapists by being honest and transparent in her therapeutical actions and interventions. Talking to Helen comes easier than with any other therapists I had before; she is more like a conversational partner who has very good and thoughtful questions. Therapy with Helen feels natural, even over the screen she makes me feel comforted when I need to cry, when I am frustrated, when I am hurt or disappointed. I am very grateful to have found a companion in here who cycles a part of my journey with me - during the toughest but also the easier times!”
— Alice, Edinburgh (2025)
“I reached out to Helen at a time when things felt really unstable and overwhelming. From the very first session, she made me feel heard and supported. Her kindness and understanding, along with her wise counsel, really helped me find my footing again. I would recommend Helen to anyone who just needs a safe space to talk and some honest, caring guidance.”