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Home2025-05-05T15:33:50+00:00
PLEASE NOTE I AM CURRENTLY FULLY BOOKED AND NOT ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS      –      PLEASE NOTE I AM CURRENTLY FULLY BOOKED AND NOT ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS      –      
Vicki McKeown

VLM Therapy

My name is Vicki McKeown. I have 15+ years’ experience of working directly with clients; the nature of my work has evolved over time. After qualifying with an MA in Social Work I quickly realised I was unable to do the in depth therapeutic work required to resolve underlying issues, repair disrupted attachments and process early childhood trauma. This resulted in me going on to train as a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and EMDR Practitioner. I have been in private practice since 2016 based in North Shields and working with clients across the North East. I take an integrative approach to counselling, bringing together a number of therapies and schools of thought. This enables me to work in the best and most tailored way for you, the client.

I am an accredited member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) and also continue to be registered with Social Work England.

Counselling/ Psychotherapy
for Adults

Child and Adolescent
Therapy

EMDR (Eye Movement
De-sensitisation Reprogramming)

Dyadic Developmental
Psychotherapy (DDP)

Therapy for
Adopted Children

Supervision

1:1 Therapeutic Parenting Support

Contact Us

Vicki McKeown

VLM Blog

See below for the latest news

Vicki McKeown

Testimonials

“I contacted Vicki after many failed counselling sessions with other Therapists including EMDR. I just didn’t connect with the other therapists and had many years of trauma throughout my childhood and early adult years. I was coming to crisis point and my past experiences were starting to rule my life, I spent most of my time dissociating and not dealing with anything in real life.

Vicki was lovely, very open and honest and I felt I could trust her so I could open up about my past. Although opening up about my past wasn’t easy because of the dissociation, but Vicki knew exactly when I was trying to deflect answering her questions and promptly brought me back to the question.

With trust, time, compassion and understanding for the first time in years I was seeing, discussing and processing all that trauma I never thought it was possible.”

I am so deeply grateful for the help I have received from Vicki and getting me through that awful time. I am now not dissociating and feel in control of my life.

I would 100% recommend Vicki

Helen, 2019

“My 11 year old daughter sought therapeutic support in 2020, due to growing worries that were affecting her sleeping, eating, and behaviour in the home. She was gradually being overwhelmed by worries and Vicki’s work with her really helped her have an understanding as to how her brain was working and has given her a framework for understanding herself more fully. The concept of strong brain and hedgehog brain was really helpful, and the understanding of how worries come and go, then how to manage them so that they don’t stop and take over everything has really helped her. For us as parents, we have been helped with how to respond to our daughters needs sensitively and recognise the signs of switching off or vacantness being connected to stress and worries. We now feel better equipped to help our daughter moving forward into her teenage years. Vicki’s work has been foundational in helping support our daughters mental health at a pivotal time for her.”

Susan, Parent,

“Vicki has been very supportive, calm and gentle with me. She sets a comforting atmosphere and always supplies tea. She has helped me a great deal with my trauma, and I highly recommend her.”

Anonymous,

“The sessions were specific to the needs of our sons difficulties, Vicki was able to develop a positive trusting relationship.  She is supportive and honest, and during a difficult time of lockdown her support was amazing.

Our son sustained an assault leaving him confused and anxious Vicki’s helped through the difficult time.

He has transitioned between school and college, Vicki supported him to help alleviate his worries and fears, he has made great progress through the therapy sessions and he has been supported to make positive changes.”

Adoptive Parent - October 2021,

“Vicki really helped me, she listened to me when I had lots of worries, we worked together to find strategies to help cope when I get stressed and anxious.  I had lots of difficulties at school and she really supported me especially after I was attacked, she helped me realize it wasn’t my fault and I am a stronger person for all the help I’ve had.

I have started college and I have made some new friends I feel like I have a good future and I love collage.  I still have to sometimes work to manage my big feelings but I have good ways of doing this now, I don’t damage things in my room any more I go for a walk and listen to music.”

Adoptive Young Person - October 2021,

“It was my first time at counselling and I felt very apprehensive opening up to someone I didn’t know, but as soon as my first session started, Vicki made that easier for me and I felt very comfortable. Vicki helped me cope with challenging issues and assisted me with realistic coping strategies that I use almost daily. She was very supportive, calm and understanding and with all this I was able to move forward and make positive changes. Thank you Vicki for all your help and support, I would 100% recommend to anyone. 

Molly - 2022,

“I contacted Vicki in 2021 for help with overwhelming personal and professional issues. My friends are a great support network but I felt I needed an outsiders viewpoint to give an unbiased perspective on my situation and some kind of structured help to deal with it. 

I’ve never had therapy before but would absolutely recommend it and particularly Vicki to anyone struggling or feeling as stuck as I was. Vicki was calm, friendly, supportive and objective. Our sessions gave me a safe space to talk freely and practical coping techniques. I’ve been able to move forward in a positive way at last.”

H - 2022,

I met Vicki towards the end of  2019 when attending a course through Adopt North East on Attachment.  It was recommended that I look to therapy.  My daughter who was about to turn 14 had hit the skids quite badly and had awakened trauma in me that I had long ago thought I had dealt with, but I realised that in order to help her I had to also help myself.  Vicki came highly recommended through the two partners at the time of SCS Training.  I started weekly sessions with Vicki which at first I found incredibly hard going.   I was having to root around in my past, and so instead tried to focus on what was going on with my daughter at the time.  Vicki kept bringing it back to me as she realised I had to deal with my past and try and put it to bed, although deflecting things came so naturally for me.  Vicki helped me to prepare a tree of events which made me realise that not everything in my past was awful.  Vicki helped me realise that although not having a mother of my own around to grow up with at the age my daughter now was.  It made me realise that I was doing everything I could to help my daughter, and in some ways possibly it helped that I had not had her around as I effectively did not have a mother parenting tape to rely on and that it was actually making me a better mother because I would never give up on her.   For me I think it was because I did not bump into my past very often I was able to put it to one side and brush it under the carpet.  Vicki made me realise I did not have to do that any more and that the trigger of seeing my mother instead of being upset that she did not even acknowledge I existed, but be thankful that she didn’t because at the end of the day I would not have been the parent I am today.  

I would highly, highly recommend Vicki as she really listened to me whilst gently pushing me back in the direction I needed to be rather than deflecting as I had seemed to do so easily.  Although compliments I am still not great with! 

Roll forward to 2022, I am in a much better place, our family is in a much better place, and our daughter although still hits bumps in the road is in a much better place.  

I don’t like to think where we would have been if I had not met Vicki and under her guidance realised that I am not a failure and that I am doing the best I can as a mother, wife, and friend and that no one is perfect.

Annon - 2022,

“I’m very appreciative of the time Vicki spent with X and X, how she valued their thinking and promoted their insight into their own experiences.

I like Vicki’s common sense approach, that she was reliable and very considerate.”

Adoptive Mum, 2022

Adoptive Parent - 2022,

“Vicki is friendly and actually quite funny at times. She is a good listener and never puts words into your mouth like some general/school counsellors do.  She is nice to talk to and explains things clearly so that you understand why you may be feeling or behaving the way you are.  Vicki often knew why I felt the way I did before I did and she always helped me to understand why and how this could link to the trauma I had experienced in the past.  I would definitely recommend her therapy sessions as they really helped me.”

E, age 16

E, age 16- 2023,

“Vicki has been supporting our children at different stages on our family’s journey since my twins were 8 years old.  I can honestly say her therapy sessions have made a huge difference to the dynamics of our family and the way we parent, support, discipline and interact with each other.  We have covered everything from the impact of birth family neglect/trauma, behaviour management, self-harm and more recently our twins have explored their birth family history  while doing their life story work so they can make real informed decisions going forward. Vicki is non-judgemental, kind, caring and supportive.  Her knowledge of PTSD trauma and how it impacts and affects our children’s life and choices was excellent. Vicki not only worked with us as a family but engaged and advocated for us with other professionals working alongside us including school teachers, school counsellors and more recently college tutors.  I can’t recommend her therapy enough, it’s like having a personal therapist and cheerleader all rolled into one.”

A, Mother of Twins

A, Mother of Twins - 2023,

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Whether it’s moving up a year or starting a new school altogether, transitions can stir up all kinds of feelings because change is tricky for us all. 

Good transitions start with good endings.

Children and young people need time and space to process what they’re leaving behind (relationships, routines, roles). Rushing the endings can leave emotions unacknowledged, and that can show up later as anxiety, withdrawal or tricky behaviour.

Transitions work best when they’re planned, talked about and supported. 

Let them say goodbye. Let them ask questions. Let them feel what they feel without feeling the need to correct or explain. Just sit alongside them.

#VLMTherapy #TransitionsMatter #TherapeuticSupport #TraumaInformed #SchoolTransitions #EmotionalWellbeing #EndingsAndBeginnings #ChildMentalHealth
Today let’s hold in mind:
💙 Dads doing their best, even when it’s hard
💙 Foster and adoptive dads learning to parent complex and traumatised children 
💙 Men who have stepped into a father role 
💙 Those who long to be dads
💙 People grieving a dad, or a relationship they wish had been different

Father’s Day isn’t always simple. However it feels for you today, your feelings are valid. 

#VLMtherapy #FathersDay #AllKindsOfDads
On Thursday, I went to see Sam Fender at St James’ Park  and wow, what an atmosphere.

Thousands of people, in their black and white shirts, coming together to celebrate a local lad who’s stayed rooted in where he’s from.

It wasn’t just a gig, it was community. It was pride. It was people feeling a sense of belonging, of shared identity, of being part of something.

It really got me thinking about how powerful that sense of connection is and how much we all need it. Whether in our homes, our work, or our communities, feeling like we belong makes a difference.

I even wore a Toon top and joined in 🖤🤍

 #SenseOfBelonging #CommunityMatters #IdentityAndConnection #StJamesPark #SamFender #VLMtherapy
Expecting yourself to communicate clearly while you’re triggered is like trying to thread a needle in the dark.

It’s not that you’re failing, it’s that your nervous system is overwhelmed.

We communicate best when we feel safe and regulated. That’s why the learning afterwards is so powerful. 

When the storm passes, you can reflect and share what you needed with the people you trust.

This is how we build understanding, safety, and stronger connections.

#VLMTherapy #TraumaInformed #Regulation #Triggered #EmotionalRegulation #Overwhelm #TherapyThoughts
Going to therapy doesn’t mean you’ll never be triggered again.

It means that when life does hit those painful spots you’ll have the tools, the language, and the self-awareness to navigate it.

Therapy isn’t about removing discomfort altogether.

It’s about learning to sit with it, understand it, and respond, rather than react.

#VLMTherapy #HealingJourney #TriggersAndTrauma #EmotionalResilience #MentalHealthSupport #SelfAwareness
Attachment isn’t just about love.

It’s about safety, consistency, and how a child learns to trust the world.

Children form attachment patterns based on how their needs were responded to.
🔹 Were they comforted when distressed?
🔹 Did someone show up consistently?
🔹 Were they emotionally attuned to?

These early experiences shape how we connect in relationships throughout life.

#AttachmentMatters #VLMtherapy #PsychoEducation #adoption #fostering #divorce #trauma #loss
When a child feels unsafe, they don’t choose how to react they respond instinctively.

The nervous system might:
⚡ Fight – become aggressive or defiant
⚡ Flight – run away, distract, avoid
⚡ Freeze – shut down, go silent
⚡ Fawn – people-please or appease to stay safe

Understanding these trauma responses helps us move from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What’s happened to you?”

#TraumaInformed #TraumaAware #SurvivalBehaviours #SeeBehindTheBehaviour #NervousSystem #VLMtherapy
When a child feels shame, fear, or disconnection, they go into survival mode.

Logic shuts down. So does learning. The thinking brain is offline!

That’s why connection MUST  come before correction.

When a child feels emotionally safe, they’re more likely to reflect, repair, and learn.

Connection regulates the brain. Correction can only take place once they feel safe.

#AttachmentAndTrauma #ConnectionFirst #VLMtherapy #TherapyTips #Parenting #connectionbeforecorrection
What is trauma re-enactment? 

#traumareenactment #trauma #survival #adoption #fostering
At the end of 2024, a friend and colleague, Diego Melo approached me with an exciting new project aimed at changing the landscape of education.

If you know me, you’ll know I often struggle with imposter syndrome. I regularly feel like I don’t know enough, or that someone else could say it better. But, after just one conversation with Diego, I said yes. I knew I wanted to be part of something that could genuinely make a difference.

Fast forward to January 2025… filming day 🎥 🎬

I had filmed once before for a BBC documentary back in 2012/13. It was a huge learning curve and, if I’m honest, incredibly anxiety-inducing. So the idea of doing it all again definitely brought up some nerves.

But I couldn’t have asked for a better experience this time around. From working with a script writer in the lead-up, to being supported by a kind and patient film crew on the day (even tolerating all my bloopers 😬), I felt completely supported throughout the process. Strangely, once I got into the swing of it, I forgot just how many people were involved behind the scenes.

One of the most empowering differences this time is that I’ve had full control over what I said, how I said it, and the final edit. That has made all the difference.

When I find myself stepping out of my comfort zone, I always come back to something an old manager once told me:
“You will never know it all, but what you do know will make a difference.”

I’m so proud to be part of this meaningful project, and I can’t wait to share more soon.

👀 Watch this space—launching September 2025.

#Education #ImposterSyndrome #FilmingExperience #SteppingOutOfComfortZone #MakingADifference #ComingSoon #TraumaInformedPractice #LinkingTherapyToPractice
Progress in therapy (and life) isn’t always a big.
💛 It’s choosing a different response.
💛 It’s recognising your pattern sooner.
💛 It’s taking a breath and pausing instead of shutting down.
💛 It’s having a voice 

Small doesn’t mean insignificant. It means sustainable.

#TherapyJourney #GrowthTakesTime #VLMtherapy
It’s important to remind your young person (as well as yourself and those around the yp) that their exam results DO NOT define them. They are so much more than a number on a piece of paper! 

20+ years later and I’m still lucky enough to have my school friends in my life who are all doing amazing. We’ve all taken differently paths (some longer than others) but are in careers we enjoy. 

These are just a few of the responses they gave when I asked what they’d tell their younger self as they take their GCSE’s. 

#GCSES #GCSEexams #examstress #exampressure #morethananumber #yourresultsdonotdefineyou #wordsofwisdow #advicetoyoungerme #vlmtherapy
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