Jeanette Ellis, BACP

Attachment-based work looks at how early relationships shape current reactions and helps uncover patterns that cause distress. This can be useful for people who notice repeated difficulties in trust, closeness or emotional reactivity. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings and actions; it uses simple exercises and short experiments to reduce anxiety, lift mood and improve sleep. Trauma-focused therapy aims to help people make sense of distressing events and reduce their ongoing impact through paced, stabilising techniques.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist discusses options with each person and adapts methods to fit their goals and preferences. This is a collaborative process where plans change as progress is made and new needs emerge.

Online therapy offers flexibility for different life rhythms. Video calls let the conversation feel close to an in-person session, while phone sessions work well if bandwidth is limited or someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging suit brief check-ins, ongoing reflection between sessions or people who find writing easier than speaking. These options make it simpler to fit therapy around work, caregiving and other commitments while still following a clear therapeutic plan.