Sharon McHugh, BACP
Sharon McHugh is a counsellor with seven years' experience helping people recover from anxiety, trauma and the effects of a difficult upbringing.
About Sharon
Sharon McHugh is a counsellor with seven years' experience helping people recover from anxiety, trauma and the effects of a difficult upbringing. She aims to create a calm space where the person sets the agenda. Sessions are guided by the client's priorities and shaped around their goals.
Sharon meets each person with an open, non-judgemental attitude. In the first session she and the client agree what they want to achieve and make a simple plan.
Background and approach
She asks questions to help make sense of a person's experience and to understand life from their point of view. Her background includes independent practice and work with external agencies, supporting people who developed coping styles to survive environments where they could not be themselves. Those coping patterns can later cause low self-esteem, people-pleasing and a sense of emptiness.
Sharon uses a blend of approaches tailored to the person in front of her. She holds a BACP registration and combines client-centred listening with practical techniques to tackle stress, anxiety, addiction and relationship concerns. She also works with issues such as grief, sleep difficulties and career worries.
Clients can expect straightforward, down-to-earth conversations and practical steps between sessions. Sharon explains options, adjusts techniques to what helps, and supports people to build new ways of coping so they can move towards the life they want.
Registration
| Body | Registration number | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| BACP | 376880 | February 2027 |
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 Sharon works with
Everything Sharon lists, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Coping with life changes
- ADHD
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Intimacy-related issues
- Sleeping disorders
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Depression
- Compassion fatigue
- Codependency
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- First responder issues
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Sharon lists
- Client-Centred Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- Hypnotherapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
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
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings and actions interact. It uses practical exercises and simple homework to reduce anxiety, tackle panic, improve sleep and manage low mood.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, DBT, teaches skills for managing strong emotions and impulsive behaviours. It includes techniques for distress tolerance, emotional regulation and better interpersonal boundaries, which can help with overwhelming reactions and relationship strain.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Sharon will talk with you about your goals, your preferences and what feels comfortable, then suggest ways of working that match those needs. This is a collaborative decision and can be adjusted as therapy progresses.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls let you have a face-to-face conversation, phone sessions are useful when bandwidth is limited, live chat supports shorter check-ins and text messaging allows ongoing reflection between meetings. These options help therapy fit around work, family and everyday life while keeping the focus on practical steps and emotional support.
Frequently asked
What kinds of problems does Sharon help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, life changes, ADHD, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, sleep problems, low self-esteem and depression among other concerns.
What is Sharon's style in sessions?
Her style is client-led and empathetic. She listens first, asks questions to understand your experience, and then offers practical steps you can try between sessions.
How much experience does she have?
Sharon has seven years of counselling experience in independent practice and external agencies supporting people with anxiety and trauma from difficult upbringings.
What professional credentials does she hold and where is she based?
She holds registration with the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) and practises in the United Kingdom.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What formats are available for sessions?
Sessions can be held by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How does billing and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with Sharon?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
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