My Story - From People Pleaser to Self Discovery
Amy Hughes - Psychotherapist and Counsellor
Hi, I'm Amy. Here to help you reconnect with your true self beneath the people pleasing.
My Story
I understand the struggle with people pleasing because I've walked this path myself. For years, I was the eternal "good girl" – always available, constantly putting others first, and shapeshifting to fit whatever role each person needed me to be. I measured my worth through what I could do for everyone else, exhausting myself and trying to be perfect in every box others put me in.
Like many of us, I intimately understand the pull to fit in – to reshape ourselves into whatever form might finally earn us belonging. I spent years as a master shape-shifter, trying on different identities: the perfect daughter, the rebel soul, the social butterfly, and the spiritual seeker. Each promised that elusive sense of finally belonging somewhere, of being enough.
With each transformation, I would carefully study the unwritten rules: the right ways to dress, think, and behave. I became an expert at morphing myself to match these ideals. What I didn't realise then was that each time I changed myself to fit in, I was moving further away from accepting who I truly was. This pattern left me feeling increasingly exhausted and lost, watching pieces of myself scatter across the various versions I had tried to become.
My journey of breaking free from these patterns and discovering who I am beyond the roles of helper and people pleaser led me to become a therapist. Having helped over 60 clients find their authentic selves, I'm passionate about creating the same transformative space for others that once helped me find my authentic voice.
Professional Registration
I am a fully qualified and insured psychotherapist and counsellor (MNCPS acc), registered with the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society.
I specialised in online and telephone counselling in 2020, discovering how powerful therapy could be even without being in the same room. Since qualification, I launched my business, Start Blossoming Online Therapy. I've dedicated myself to creating a practice that helps others prioritise their growth and relationship with themselves. At the heart of my work, I create a compassionate and gentle space for exploring your emotions and experiences, helping you reconnect with your authentic self.
My background includes children's nursing, caring for neonatal babies, and working on a specialist burns ward in Essex – so caring for others has always been my passion.
If you're feeling exhausted from trying to be everything to everyone and questioning whether you even know who you are underneath all the roles you play, know that you're not alone. This journey back to yourself doesn't have to be walked alone.
When I'm not working with clients, you'll find me enjoying a quiet life with my husband, son, and black Labrador Frank, walking in nature, taking a pit stop at a coffee shop, or doing a cosy craft project while listening to an audiobook. Friends would describe me as creative, quirky, and kind – qualities that I bring into my therapy practice!