Kirsty Ginger, BACP

Person-centred counselling focuses on listening, empathic response and helping people find their own solutions. In practice this means the counsellor gives space for feelings, reflects what is heard and works with the person to set goals that matter to them. This approach suits worries like anxiety, grief and relationship struggles.

Brief behavioural techniques can be useful alongside person-centred work to manage anxiety or stress. These involve simple strategies such as breathing exercises, grounding techniques and step-by-step behaviour changes to reduce symptoms. Bereavement-informed support helps people who are coping with loss by offering ways to process grief and build daily routines again.

Finding the right mix of ways to work is part of the process. The therapist will discuss options openly and together decide which approaches fit the person's needs, goals and preferences. This collaborative planning can change over time as progress is reviewed.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging, which give flexibility for different schedules and needs. Video is useful for face-to-face conversation, phone calls can be better when bandwidth is limited, and messaging suits shorter check-ins or ongoing support between sessions. These options help people balance therapy with work, travel or caregiving responsibilities.