Sarah Mayberry, BACP

Person-Centred work puts listening at the heart of sessions. It involves the counsellor offering empathy and acceptance so people can speak freely and begin to sort out what matters most to them. This approach helps when someone needs a steady, understanding space to think things through.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thought patterns and trying out small behaviour changes. It often includes short practical exercises between sessions to test new ways of responding to anxiety, low mood or relationship concerns.

Psychodynamic ideas can be used to look at how earlier life experiences influence current feelings and reactions. This can help when recurring patterns or strong emotions keep arising without an obvious trigger.

Choosing the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The counsellor will discuss goals, preferences and what has or hasn't helped before, then agree a plan together. That means sessions are adapted as needs change rather than fixed from the start.

Offering therapy online brings practical benefits. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation without travel. Phone sessions need less bandwidth and can fit a short break in a busy day. Live chat or text messaging suits quick check-ins or when writing feels easier than speaking. These options make it simpler to fit therapy around work and family commitments while maintaining continuity of care with registered or accredited professionals.