Jeff Hutchens, NCPS

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then focus on the values and actions that matter. It can be useful for anxiety, low mood and coping with life changes. Client-Centred Therapy puts the person at the heart of the work, with the counsellor offering empathic listening and gentle guidance so the client leads the pace and topics of sessions. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions and uses simple exercises to change unhelpful patterns like avoidance or rumination; it often suits stress, anxiety and sleep problems.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk through goals and preferences and suggest which methods to try first. If something does not feel useful, they will adapt the plan so the work fits each person's needs and rhythm.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging to increase flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when needed, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited, live chat is helpful for shorter check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between booked sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, caregiving and travel commitments while keeping the focus on meaningful change.