Meet the former nursery teacher diagnosed with autism who has overcome her own mental health issues to now help others

Nicola Pallas, 34, set up the community interest company (CIC) Creative Minds North Star Counselling in 2019 where, along with seven other trained counsellors, she now provides support to the mental health of children and youngsters across the city.

Nicola was only diagnosed with autism two years ago after struggling in her childhood to fit in at school and described the diagnosis as the moment her previous challenges “began to make sense”.

After starting her working life as a nursery teacher, Nicola was inspired to train as a counsellor after attending counselling sessions to help overcome her own mental health difficulties.

She said: “I had a lot of anxiety about going to school as I was bullied and didn’t fit in. I also suffered from low mood and it’s my own experiences which really inspired me to want to help children struggling with their own challenges about going to school.

"I began going for counselling at the age of 21. I had a really positive experience with my counsellor and at this point I decided to also train as a counsellor to help others.”

Nicola spent the next 10 years “in and out of counselling” up until her autism diagnosis in 2021.

Despite her own challenges, at the age of 25, Nicola had already started channelling what she had learned from her own experience into working as a counsellor with Bernados.

She said: “In 2017 I set up my own private practice doing one to one sessions. Schools offer a counselling service but I had become aware this ceased during holiday times and so I began to run holiday workshops to support these children outside of term time.

"There was one family whose child had been attending the workshops who decided to organise a fundraiser. However, as a solo trader this is not something I could accept which is why I decided to explore the possibility of setting up a CIC which would enable me to access certain funding avenues.”

It was in February 2019 that Nicola officially launched Creative Minds North Star Counselling which provides a whole range of services for children and adults which includes one to one counselling and group therapy workshops.

Clients can also access wellbeing activities such as yoga, massage and Reiki, a type of energy healing.

A key focus for Nicola and Creative Minds is to ensure people get the help and support they need when they need it.

Nicola said: “When working as a counsellor, some of the children I was working with had been waiting 18 months to two years for a referral. Most people have to wait at least six months, which is too long, as many of these children were at crisis point.

"Creative Minds allows people in need of support to self-refer and be seen when they need help.”

As the name of the enterprise suggests, a key focus of the sessions is incorporating the use of art and being creative as a means of therapy.

Nicola said: “I love being creative and experienced how art could be used to help in my own counselling therapy. I did some research on the benefits it can have and we now use art and being creative in both our counselling sessions and workshops.

"Being focused on a creative task can help to relax people, take their mind off things and open up. It also makes it feel less clinical. There is also still a stigma attached to counselling, particularly for teenagers, who may find it much easier to come along to an arts session which takes that clinical element and stigma away.”

While Creative Minds predominantly supports children, they also have adults who get in touch in need of help, something which has increased in the last 12 months.

Nicola said: “Since the pandemic, and now with the cost of living crisis we have seen a lot more people get in touch needing help. Some of these people have lost their jobs and can’t afford to put their heating on or food on the table, which can obviously have an impact on their mental wellbeing.”

SEE ALSO: Watch as selfless Sunderland girl leads whole-school celebration of World Down Syndrome Day to honour brother who has the condition

The CIC provides support for neurodivergent children who may have behavioural issues, be school non attenders or autistic children who are struggling to fit into mainstream education.

Counselling sessions also provide support for people who may have been victims of domestic or sexual abuse.

Nicola said: “Having been diagnosed with autism and experienced my own mental health difficulties, I feel I can really empathise with many of the people I work with. Sometimes autistic people want a counsellor who also has autism and we have a number of other counsellors who are also neurodiverse.”

Counselling sessions take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and Nicola has urged anyone who needs their support to email [email protected]

People in need of help can receive up to 12 free counselling sessions as long as they meet certain funding criteria. More information can also be found on the Creative Minds website.