About me -the vegan counsellor
Hi I’m Chrissy Leyland, a vegan counsellor. I am a passionate, ethical vegan. I am also a qualified, counsellor registered with the BACP. Veganism has compassion at its heart. I bring this to the counselling room. Therefore, I can support you to find solutions and achieve your goals.
As a vegan, I understand the pain of living with the suffering of animals and climate anxiety. Furthermore, I’ve experienced the practical and social aspects of living in a non vegan world. Having raised a vegan child, I understand the unique challenges of vegan parenting. I contributed to the Vegan Guide with a chapter on this topic.
My vegan journey
As a child I’d always loved animals. Therefore, it seemed a logical to become vegetarian. I realised consuming animals did not align with my values. However, I then began to question the ethics of eating any animal products. I felt a deep sadness for the plight of dairy cows. Separating these loving mothers from their calves is unthinkably cruel. I didn’t want contribute to this animal suffering. But going vegan seemed like a big step. Especially for a teenager in the 1980’s. So I decided to try vegan for a month. It seem more achievable to have this goal.
This turned out to be pretty easy. So Iām still vegan over 30 years later. I often get asked if it was difficult back then. Without the variety of vegan products now available in supermarkets. Not to mention the plentiful options for eating out. It certainly wasn’t as convenient. It was also seen as unusual or frankly weird. I spent lots of time answering questions. Also defending my choice!
But, I see this as the best decision I have ever made. Now my eyes were open I had no desire to consume animal products. Having that motivation made it easy. As did finding a liked-minded community. This helped me to navigate a non vegan world, and to spread the message to others. I’ve been involved in vegan campaigning, animal activism and animal rescue work. My successful experience of trying vegan for a month led me to support others in this way. I organised the first vegan pledge in London. Participants tried vegan for a month. Significantly, many of them stayed vegan.
My counselling qualifications and experience
I have a PostGraduate Diploma in Integrative Counselling. I am registered in the UK with the BACP. This is the main professional body for the counselling profession. I adhere to their ethical framework for good practice and Guidelines for Online Counselling and Psychotherapy. I have a Certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling Skills. My recent CPD includes “Working with climate change and its impact on mental health”. I hold a current Enhanced DBS check.
I qualified as a counsellor in 2003. My experience includes alcohol counselling and working for a domestic abuse charity. More recently, I’ve supported clients online with a wide range of issues. For example, relationships, trauma and anxiety. In addition, I’ve helped clients to improve motivation, self esteem, and confidence. My approach is Integrative. So I use techniques from different therapeutic approaches. This means I can vary my approach to meet your needs.
Whether your concerns relate to veganism, or not, I am here to help.
How to get started
Starting counselling can seem like a big step. You might be unsure if I’m the right counsellor for you. Therefore, I offer a free introductory session. This gives you a chance to decide if you’d like to work with me. In addition, you’ll have an opportunity to ask questions.
I would love to hear from you. So please reach out with any questions.
Contact me to find out more. Or to book your free introductory session.