Online Counselling

I work with a wide range of issues that people commonly struggle with. These include anxiety, bereavement and loss, depression, relationships, self-esteem, stress, work related issues and many others. If you’re struggling with something I haven’t mentioned don’t let that stop you getting in touch – there aren’t many issues I haven’t worked with in my time.

I have a particular interest in working with people who might describe themselves as introverted. The needs of introverted children often go unrecognised, which can lead to life feeling more of a struggle that it has to be. This is an area I’ve taken both a personal and professional interest in over the past decade. So, if this describes you, I may be able to help.

I’ve spent 25 years looking at what makes therapy work. I’ve learned some important things along the way that I bring to my therapy work. I write about these themes for a professional audience, but they also inform how I work to create the best experience of therapy for every client.

The model of therapy I use is known as integrative. This brings together a range of approaches in a coherent framework. It recognises that there is no ‘one size fits all’ in therapy, and that there are benefits to clients when therapists are able to draw on a range of therapeutic approaches.

Every client is unique, and I aim to create a way of working with you that is equally unique and effective for you. The question is not “does this type of therapy work?” but “is this approach working for you right now?”

The approaches that I commonly draw on include person-centred, transactional analysis, solution-focused, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness based approaches. If these labels don’t mean much to you, you can find further detail on the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) website here.

Research over many decades shows the average therapy client is better off psychologically than some 80% of people who don’t receive therapy. It also shows that therapists vary considerably in their effectiveness. 

I’ve been offering online counselling for more than thirteen years so I know from experience that counselling delivered online is as effective as face to face. A recent major study confirms this. Comparing the outcomes of therapy delivered via videoconference and in-person, it found “few meaningful differences in intervention or assessment outcomes across remote and in-person deliveries.”

There is no evidence that any one type of therapy is better than another for commonly experienced problems. Instead, it’s factors like the quality of the therapeutic relationship, a shared approach to goal setting and working together, and the effectiveness of the individual therapist that make a much bigger difference.

Most clients that remain engaged in therapy show considerable improvement in their psychological health. A proportion, however, terminate therapy before this. I don’t believe this dropout is inevitable, and I’m committed to doing all I can to make sure you remain fully engaged in the process. 

Across a wide range of settings, dropout rates of between 20 - 40% are not uncommon. Relative to this my own rate of dropout is low at under 10%. 

Using short questionnaires about how you’re feeling (known as outcome measures) it’s possible to see changes in psychological health or wellbeing at different points during therapy. While most clients improve, rates of improvement do vary considerably across therapists.   

I ask clients to complete an outcome measure at the start, then periodically as work progresses. A secure online system handles these measures and gives me a sense of how effective I’m being. Its feedback tells me that my impact is roughly double the average of published studies. 

You can contact me by phone, by email, or through the contact form on this page. I’ll suggest we have an initial discussion to talk about what’s brought you in touch and what you’re looking for. This is a chance for me to learn about your concerns and how I might help, and for you to find out about me and decide whether you would feel comfortable working with me. I don’t charge for this.

There’s no obligation to take things further, and you don’t have to decide at this stage. If we agree to work together then we can arrange a further session or sessions. These are an hour in length. We’ll work together for as long as you feel you need and are getting a clear benefit than we can both measure.

Our initial discussion is free of charge. If we agree to work together after that my fee per 60 minute session is £50.

At times I am also able to offer concessionary rates, so if cost is an issue for you please let me know. I can accept payment by bank transfer and PayPal.