Evonne Irvine, NCPS

Client-centred therapy places the person's experience at the heart of the work, with the counsellor offering empathy and non-judgemental listening to help someone feel heard and understood. This approach can be useful for depression, grief and low self-esteem because it builds trust and a sense of being accepted.

Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, focuses on spotting unhelpful thoughts and behaviours and trying practical experiments to change them. It is commonly used for anxiety, panic and mood problems and often involves homework between sessions to test new ways of thinking.

Hypnotherapy is sometimes used alongside other approaches to support relaxation, reduce stress and access different ways of thinking about difficult memories or habits. When used carefully it can help people practise calm and build new reactions to triggers.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will talk through options and collaborate with the person to choose what feels most useful for their goals, needs and preferences. That choice can change as progress is made.

Online formats available include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging. Video calls are close to face-to-face conversation, phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited, live chat suits shorter check-ins and text messaging allows ongoing reflection between sessions. These options help people fit therapy around work, caring duties and everyday life while still working with registered or accredited professionals.