Ms Emma Mills, MA

Psychotherapist

“I have worked as an Art Psychotherapist for over 20 years across the NHS, Women’s Aid, community mental health services and local authority teams. My clinical practice is grounded in trauma-informed, relational and creative approaches, supporting people with complex life experiences, including abuse, loss, mental ill-health and social exclusion. Alongside my therapeutic work, I am a practising artist. This deeply informs my clinical practice and underpins my belief in the transformative power of creativity as a route to healing, meaning-making and emotional growth.”

About Me

I am an HCPC-registered Art Psychotherapist and qualified EMDR practitioner with over 20 years’ experience working across the NHS, Women’s Aid and community mental health services. I offer EMDR and art psychotherapy, supporting adults who are experiencing trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, loss, and the long-term impact of adversity. I work integratively, tailoring therapy to each individual and offering a gentle yet effective approach for those who may find talking alone difficult. Art psychotherapy provides a creative, reflective space to explore emotions and experiences safely, while EMDR offers a powerful evidence-based method for processing trauma and distressing memories. Alongside my clinical work, I am a practising artist and deeply value the creative process as a pathway to healing, meaning and self-understanding. I work in a warm, compassionate and trauma-informed way, helping clients reconnect with their strengths, develop resilience and find new perspectives. I undertake regular specialist supervision in both EMDR and art psychotherapy and engage in ongoing professional development to ensure safe, ethical and high-quality practice. .

Approach

My approach is shaped by many years of clinical work across the NHS, Women’s Aid and community mental health services. I work at a gentle, thoughtful pace, creating a calm and supportive space where creative materials can help express what may feel difficult to put into words. In Leigh-on-Sea, I offer in-person sessions in a quiet, welcoming room, as well as online therapy in English. I invite the use of simple art processes such as drawing, collage or clay to help ground emotions and give form to inner experience. Each session begins with a check-in, establishing a steady and containing rhythm. Therapy is collaborative and reflective. Together we notice what emerges through images and conversation, making sense of experiences at a pace that feels safe. I may suggest small, manageable creative or reflective practices between sessions to support emotional regulation, build self-trust and develop new responses to trauma, loss or low self-worth. Many people who are seeking a quieter, hands-on and deeply compassionate route to understanding themselves find this steady, creative approach especially supportive.

Contact Emma

Ask a quick question or arrange a time to meet.

Basic Information

Leigh On Sea, United Kingdom

Services

I specialise in working with adults who have experienced trauma, abuse and long-term adversity. My practice is grounded in trauma-informed, relational and creative approaches, supporting people to feel safer in their bodies, reconnect with their inner resources and develop a stronger sense of self. My particular areas of expertise include: Trauma and PTSD – including complex trauma and developmental trauma Domestic abuse and sexual violence – supporting survivors of coercive control, emotional, physical and sexual abuse Anxiety and depression – especially where linked to life stress, trauma or loss Loss, grief and life transitions Low self-worth, shame and identity difficulties Vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue – for professionals working in caring, frontline and advocacy roles Women’s mental health Creative and non-verbal approaches to healing I also have extensive experience working within community and third-sector settings, supporting people affected by social exclusion, poverty, migration, housing insecurity and long-term health conditions.

Services Offered:

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EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, a therapy that uses guided eye movements to help the brain process and integrate traumatic memories.
Learn more about EMDR
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Adolescent Therapy
Therapy designed for teenagers, using age-appropriate methods to address issues like anxiety, identity, peer pressure, and family conflict.
Learn more about Adolescent Therapy
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Art Therapy
A form of therapy that uses visual art-making (drawing, painting, sculpture) as a means of expression and emotional processing.
Learn more about Art Therapy
•
Child / Adolescent Therapy
Therapy for children and teenagers using age-appropriate methods, such as play, art, or adapted talk therapy, to address emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Learn more about Child / Adolescent Therapy
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Community Programme
Group-based mental health initiatives offered within the community, such as workshops, support groups, or outreach services.
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Free Consultation
A no-cost initial session to meet the therapist, discuss needs, and decide whether they are the right fit before committing.
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Group Therapy
Therapy conducted with a small group of people who share similar concerns, using peer interaction and diverse perspectives as part of the healing process.
Learn more about Group Therapy
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Guided Visualisation
A relaxation technique in which a therapist guides you through calming mental imagery to reduce stress, anxiety, or pain.
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Individual Psychotherapy
In-depth one-on-one therapy that explores the deeper roots of a person's difficulties, often drawing on psychodynamic or psychoanalytic models.

Works With:

•All ages

Area of Expertise

Scope of Practice:

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Abuse
Emotional, physical, or sexual mistreatment by another person that causes lasting psychological harm and disrupts a person's sense of safety.
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Trauma
The lasting psychological impact of deeply distressing events, such as violence, abuse, accidents, or disasters, that overwhelm a person's ability to cope.
Learn more about Trauma
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Personal Development
The ongoing process of self-awareness, self-improvement, and reaching one's potential, pursued not because something is wrong but to live more fully.
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PTSD
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a condition that develops after a traumatic event, causing flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, and emotional numbness.
Learn more about PTSD
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Self-Esteem
A person's overall sense of their own worth and value. When chronically low, it can drive self-doubt, avoidance, and difficulty in relationships.
Learn more about Self-Esteem
•
Autism (ASD)
A neurodevelopmental condition affecting social communication, sensory processing, and behaviour patterns, with a wide range of presentations and strengths.
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Child Behaviour
Behavioural difficulties in children, such as tantrums, aggression, withdrawal, or defiance, that signal emotional distress or developmental needs.
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Depression
A mood disorder marked by persistent low mood, loss of interest or pleasure, and changes in energy, sleep, or appetite that impair daily functioning.
Learn more about Depression
•
Dementia
A group of brain conditions causing progressive decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning severe enough to interfere with daily life.
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Identity & Self-Image
A person's sense of who they are, including their values, beliefs, roles, and self-perception, and the distress that arises when this sense is unclear, fragmented, or negative.

Professional Title:

•
Psychotherapist
A professional trained to provide in-depth therapy that explores patterns in thoughts, emotions, and relationships to produce lasting change.

Qualifications

Master of Arts

Masters

UKCP / BACP Accredited University

Year: 2006

Goldsmiths, University of London

Registrations

Health Profesionals Council

Art Therapist

Memberships

British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT)

Full Member

Membership: 21197

Service Area

Art therapy studio

In-person & Online

Southend On Sea, Essex

United Kingdom