Gary Barrell, NCPS

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on active listening and helping people feel heard. Online, this often means conversational sessions where the counsellor follows the client’s lead and helps them find their own solutions. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or CBT looks at thoughts and actions that maintain problems and teaches practical skills to change them; it suits issues like anxiety, panic, obsessions and low mood and transfers well to video or phone sessions for skill practice and homework discussion.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Gary will discuss goals, preferences and what feels most helpful, then adapt techniques from different approaches. That collaborative decision-making means the plan can change as needs evolve and progress is reviewed together.

Online therapy offers practical benefits such as flexibility and easier scheduling. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues, phone sessions need less bandwidth and can be easier on busy days, while live chat or text messaging can be useful for brief check-ins, ongoing coaching and moments when writing feels clearer. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family and travel commitments.