Peter Garston, BACP

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and understanding your experience. The therapist follows your lead and helps you explore feelings at your own pace, which can be useful for concerns like low self-esteem and grief.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions. Online CBT sessions often include practical exercises and simple tasks to try between appointments, which can help with anxiety, depression and addictive behaviours.

Solution-Focused Therapy concentrates on small, achievable goals and immediate steps you can take. It suits people who want focused, short-term work to move past a problem or make a specific change.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the process. The therapist will work with each person to identify goals, preferences and what feels most helpful. That collaborative planning helps tailor sessions and decide whether to emphasise listening, practical tools or goal-setting.

Online therapy formats give practical flexibility. Video calls let you see non-verbal cues and hold a fuller conversation. Phone sessions need less bandwidth and can fit into a short break. Live chat or text-based messaging work well for quick check-ins, brief reflections or when typing feels easier. These options make it simpler to fit therapy around work, family and busy schedules.