Kim Gregory, BACP

Client-centred work focuses on attentive listening and helping people set their own goals. In practice this means the counsellor asks about what matters most, reflects back what she hears and helps clients decide next steps. It is useful when someone needs a steady, non-judgemental space to figure things out.

Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, looks at links between thoughts, feelings and actions and introduces simple skills to change unhelpful patterns. It often suits people dealing with anxiety, low mood or sleep and eating difficulties because it includes concrete strategies to try between sessions.

Dialectical behaviour therapy, or DBT, contributes skills for emotion regulation and interpersonal coping. Short exercises from DBT can help with intense emotions, anger or problems in relationships without turning every session into skills training.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk through options and try methods that feel like a fit. Clients and therapist make these choices together, adjusting them as progress and goals become clearer.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video sessions allow face-to-face conversation, phone calls are useful when bandwidth is limited, and live chat or text-based messaging suits quick check-ins and people who prefer typing. These formats help therapy fit round work, caring duties and travel and make regular contact easier for many people.