Deborah J Crozier

15 July 2017
|By Deborah J Crozier

I’m Deborah Crozier, founder of A Positive Start CIC. My own journey through trauma inspired me to create safe, supportive spaces where adults and families can heal, grow, and reconnect with life.

Our team is made up of counsellors,  practitioners  and student counsellors who share a commitment to trauma-informed, person-centred care. Together, we deliver programmes like Reconnect & Regulate and STAND: Parents as Protectors, which help people build resilience, strengthen relationships, and feel safer in themselves and their communities.


We are proud members of the Person Centred Association and Christians in Counselling, reflecting the diversity of our therapists. Our partnerships include Parenting 2.0, My Body is My Body (MBIMB), Safeguarding Fundamentals, and local organisations like Teri Bikes here in Hawick.

At the heart of everything we do is a belief in kindness, connection, and compassion. Whether through workshops, community projects, or one-to-one support, we are here to walk alongside people as they take positive steps toward recovery and wellbeing.

I am a Chartered Fellow of the ACCPH (Accredited Counsellors, Coaches, Psychotherapists and Hypnotherapists) and a Member of the Association of Child Protection Professionals (AoCPP). These memberships reflect my commitment to ethical practice, safeguarding, and the highest professional standards in trauma-informed care.

My professional background combines community leadership, counselling practice, and safeguarding expertise.

Over the past eight years, since relocating to Scotland in 2017, I have:

  • Founded and led A Positive Start CIC, delivering nationally recognised programmes (Reconnect & Regulate and STAND: Parents as Protectors).
  • Supported and supervised seven student counsellors on placement, helping to develop the next generation of trauma-informed practitioners.
  • Developed collaborative projects, including the River Room Songbook, supporting children’s regulation and wellbeing through music and storytelling.
  • Provided trauma-informed counselling in both community and school settings, including as a School Counsellor at Trinity School, Carlisle.
  • Managed a community recycling charity (Just Cycle), where I reduced poverty and promoted sustainability by making affordable bicycles available, led staff and volunteers with a trauma-informed approach, and helped the organisation achieve runner-up status in local business awards.
  • Advocated nationally and globally as a Global Presence Ambassador and MBIMB Ambassador, representing trauma-informed practice internationally.