Helen Allen, BACP, NCPS

Attachment-based work looks at how early relationships shape current patterns and helps people notice connection and trust issues. It can be useful for intimacy questions, abandonment worries and repeating relationship patterns.

Client-centred therapy focuses on a respectful, non-judgemental listening stance where the person’s experience guides the conversation. This approach helps when someone needs space to be heard and to make choices at their own pace.

Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, offers practical ways to spot unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviours. It is often used for anxiety, low mood and sleep difficulties because it gives clear steps people can practise between sessions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Helen will talk through options and decide together which methods fit a person’s goals and preferences. That collaborative process means the plan can change as needs evolve.

Online therapy through video calls, phone, live chat or text messaging makes it easier to fit counselling into daily life. Video lets people see facial cues and have a fuller conversation, phone calls can be a simpler option when bandwidth is limited, live chat is useful for short check-ins, and text messaging suits quick reflections or when people prefer writing. These formats give flexibility for different rhythms and practical needs.