About Me

Counsellor and psychotherapist in Manchester and online

I'm David Peak, a BACP Accredited Counsellor and Psychotherapist with more than 20 years’ experience helping people work through anxiety, depression, trauma, bereavement, relationship difficulties, ADHD, autism-related challenges and the lasting effects of difficult childhood experiences.

I work from Piccadilly House in central Manchester and also offer online therapy.

People often come to therapy when something has become too difficult to manage alone. Sometimes the problem is recent and specific. At other times, it may be the result of patterns that have built up over many years. My aim is to offer a calm, respectful and confidential space in which we can understand what's happening and find a way forward that feels realistic for you.

Why I became a therapist

Before becoming a counsellor, I spent around 20 years working as an accountant. When I discovered counselling in 1998, for the first time in my life I felt I was contributing something worthwhile as I sat with another person helping them make sense of their inner world.

That experience changed the direction of my life.

I trained as a person-centred counsellor, and the values I learned then remain central to the way I work: empathy, acceptance, honesty and respect for each person’s experience. I believe the therapeutic relationship matters deeply. Many people have been judged, dismissed, misunderstood or pressured to “just get on with it”. Therapy should offer something better.

At the same time, I've also learned that some clients need more than listening alone. When someone is overwhelmed by trauma, anxiety, shame, panic, emotional dysregulation or painful memories, additional therapeutic approaches can sometimes help bring relief and change.

That's why, over the years, I've continued to train in further methods, including EMDR, trauma-informed therapy, Neurofeedback, CBT and DBT-informed skills, and the Tomatis® Method.

How I work

My work is grounded in the person-centred approach, but I also draw on other therapies where appropriate.

This means I don't try to fit every client into one fixed model of therapy. Instead, we begin with you: your history, your present difficulties, your hopes, your nervous system, your relationships and what you want to be different.

Some clients want to talk things through and understand themselves more clearly. Others need practical strategies to manage anxiety, anger, shutdown, relationship conflict or executive functioning difficulties. Some come because traumatic memories still feel alive in the present. Others come because they feel stuck, ashamed, overwhelmed, numb or unable to move forward.

We can discuss these options together. I'll always explain what I'm suggesting and why.

Experience and training

I've worked with clients in private practice, voluntary sector settings and counselling services for many years. I'm a BACP Accredited Counsellor and Psychotherapist and have continued to develop my training throughout my career.

My professional development has included:

• Person-Centred Counselling
• EMDR Therapy
• Trauma Studies
• Neurofeedback
• CBT and DBT-informed approaches
• Attachment-informed therapy
• The Tomatis® Method
• Work with anxiety, depression, trauma, bereavement and relationship difficulties

I have a particular interest in how early adversity, trauma, attachment difficulties, ADHD, autism, shame and emotional overwhelm can affect adult life. Many people who come to therapy are not “broken”; they're living with adaptations that once helped them survive but may now be limiting their lives, relationships or self-belief.

What you can expect

I aim to offer therapy that's warm, thoughtful, practical and effective.

I won't tell you what to think or push you towards decisions that don't feel right for you. Nor will I sit silently if something more active is needed. Good therapy, in my view, involves both careful listening and skilled therapeutic intervention.

Some clients come for a short piece of focused work around a current difficulty. Others choose longer-term therapy to address deeper patterns or earlier experiences. We can decide together what seems most appropriate.

In our first session, we'll usually explore what has brought you to therapy, what you'd like help with and whether the way I work feels suitable for you.

Working with trauma, ADHD and emotional overwhelm

A significant part of my work involves helping people who feel overwhelmed by life, relationships, memories, responsibilities or their own reactions.