I’ve contributed a chapter to People Not Pathology: Freeing Therapy from the Medical Model

I’m proud to share that I’ve contributed a chapter to the new PCCS book, People Not Pathology: Freeing Therapy from the Medical Model (ISBN 9781915220233). Edited by Pete Sanders and Janet Tolan, the book brings together leading voices who challenge the automatic medicalising ofhuman distressing explore what genuinely demedicalised therapy looks like in practise.

What the book is about

The central idea is simple: people are not diagnoses. The collection examines how therapy can move away from labels-first thinking and instead focus on meaning, context, relationship, and choice. It covers a wide range of approaches and settings—from person-centred and CBT through to services for young people, disability, GSRD, racialised communities, and more—showing how demedicalised practice can be ethical, rigorous, and effective.

My chapter: “The Market Place”

My contribution, Chapter 16: The Market Place, reflects my years of therapeutic work with children, young people, and families in Leeds. The chapter focuses on how a Counselling/Youth work Service can:

• Offer real access: low-barrier entry, clear information, and options (face to face, online, phone).

• Hold safety and autonomy together: strong boundaries, safeguarding, and transparent agreements that still respect the young person’s voice.

• Work with the whole person: their story, culture, community, and lived context—not just "symptoms" (that are often responses to trauma).

• Use creative methods: drawing, objects, writing, and other experiential tools when words are not enough.

• Review and adapt: clear aims, regular check-ins, and flexible plans (short-term or longer-term) that fit the young person’s life.

The chapter shows how demedicalised children and young people's counselling can be both robust and practical—grounded in ethics, supervision, and outcomes—without defaulting to clinical labels as the starting point.

Why this matters

• It reduces barriers. Many young people and families hesitate to seek support when everything is framed as diagnosis first. Clear language, choice, and collaborative goals make it easier to step in.

• It builds trust. When we focus on story and safety, people feel seen, not filed under a category.

• It supports meaningful change. By working with context (home, school/college, community), therapy can help clients make real-world shifts, not just tick boxes.

Who the book is for

• Therapists and trainees who want concrete examples of demedicalised practice.

• Service leads and commissioners exploring low-barrier, high-impact models.

• Parents, teachers, and youth workers looking to understand how support can be offered without over-pathologising distress.

• Clients curious about approaches that put autonomy, choice, and relationship first.

How this connects to my practice

In my own work at Lisa Norfolk Counselling, you’ll see the same principles:

• Person-centred, relational, and trauma-informed

• Inclusive and affirming, with additional training across LGBTQI+ and neurodiversity

• Creative options where they help expression and processing

• Clear agreements and boundaries, reviewed regularly

• Flexible access: two therapy rooms in Leeds, plus online and phone

Get the book