Paula Otley, BACP, NCPS
Paula Otley meets people where they are and helps them make sense of hard moments.
- Stress & Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Grief
- +17 more
About Paula
Paula Otley meets people where they are and helps them make sense of hard moments. She is Paula Otley BACP, NCPS and brings 16 years of listening and supporting people through loss, anxiety and life changes. Her approach is warm and down to earth, aimed at helping people feel less alone and more able to cope.
Paula began working with bereavement support as a volunteer and that practical experience shaped her decision to train in counselling.
Background and approach
She trained as an integrative counsellor with a focus on person-centred and psychodynamic ideas. She later added cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, to bring more structured tools into her work. She has worked in GP practices, the NHS, charities, community counselling services, independent practice and employee assistance programmes.
That variety means she is used to different kinds of everyday problems and life stages. People bring issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, addiction, self-esteem and parenting strain. In a session she aims to build a steady, trusting relationship first.
Then she and the client choose a way forward together, using conversation, practical techniques and reflective work as needed. Sessions can cover coping with change, communication problems, attachment issues and many other worries listed on her profile. Sessions are offered in English and Paula accepts international clients.
Practical session options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a time that suits them.
Registration
| Body | Registration number | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| BACP | 381077 | April 2026 |
| NCPS | NCS21-02334 | December 2026 |
Registration details are as listed on the counsellor's public profile. You can check any number with the registering body.
Sessions and payment
Sessions are held online through our partner platform, by video, phone or messaging depending on the counsellor.
Costs are shown on the partner platform before you commit. If cost is a concern, ask about reduced-fee options.
Focus areas and approaches
What Paula works with
Everything Paula lists, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Fertility issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counselling
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trichotillomania
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Approaches Paula lists
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centred Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each counsellor names and does not check training records.
Online support
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss your concerns, goals and preferences and suggest which methods to try. This is a collaborative process and methods can be adjusted as the work progresses.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video calls are close to face-to-face meetings, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is low, chat can suit shorter check-ins and text messaging lets people reflect between sessions. These options help fit therapy around work, family and other commitments while keeping continuity of care with registered or accredited professionals.
Frequently asked
What kinds of concerns can Paula help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief and relationship or intimacy-related issues, plus ADHD, addictions and many life changes.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Paula blends person-centred listening with reflective psychodynamic work and practical CBT techniques to match what a person needs.
What is her background and experience?
She has 16 years of experience, including bereavement support volunteering and roles in GP practice, the NHS, charities and independent practice.
Which credentials does she hold and where is she based?
She is listed as BACP and NCPS and practises from the United Kingdom.
Can sessions be held in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available online?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I start working with her?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to therapist availability.
Update or remove this listing
Ask us to correct details or take the page down.
Contact usMore counsellors who work with Stress & Anxiety
All of them
Samantha McEwan
BACP
4 years in practice BACP
Experienced BACP counsellor for stress and trauma
- Stress & Anxiety
- Relationship
- Trauma and Abuse
James Maynard
BACP
3 years in practice BACP
Supportive integrative counsellor for everyday challenges
- Stress & Anxiety
- Trauma and Abuse
- Grief
Ashleigh Brown
BACP
6 years in practice BACP
Practical, compassionate therapy focused on everyday change
- Stress & Anxiety
- Addictions
- Trauma and Abuse