Sharon Merchant, BACP

Sharon works from a client-centred counselling model that puts the person's experience first. That approach relies on careful listening, empathic reflection and helping someone find their own way forward. It is helpful for issues such as grief, low mood and general life stress where exploring feelings and meaning matters.

He also uses that same listening focus to support people through relationship strain, parenting pressures and the emotional impact of discrimination or postpartum difficulties. In practice this means following what the client brings, asking questions that clarify what matters, and testing practical steps to improve day-to-day coping.

Deciding which approach will help most is part of the work. Sharon treats this as a collaborative process - he will discuss options, try methods that suit the client's goals, and adjust the plan as progress is made.

Online therapy offers flexibility and easier access to regular sessions. Video calls recreate face-to-face interaction for deeper conversations. Phone sessions can be useful if bandwidth is limited or for shorter check-ins. Live chat and text messaging make it simpler to fit therapy into busy days and to keep in touch between video or phone meetings.