Sophia Churchouse, BACP, NCPS

Evidence-based therapeutic techniques focus on practical, problem-solving work and on understanding difficult emotions. One common approach is short-term, goal-focused talking therapy that helps people identify patterns, set small achievable steps and practise changes between sessions. This can be useful for anxiety, stress, panic and coping with addiction triggers.

Another useful approach is supportive therapy that concentrates on listening, validation and rebuilding coping skills after trauma, loss or during long-term struggles such as depression or caregiving stress. It helps people make sense of what has happened and plan steady steps forward.

Finding the right approach is part of the work and the therapist will decide collaboratively with each person. She will discuss what feels most useful, try different ways of working if needed, and adapt plans to the person's goals and preferences.

Online therapy offers practical benefits for many people. Video calls let the therapist and client meet face to face when that matters. Phone sessions can be a good fit when bandwidth is limited or when a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging work well for brief updates, reflective writing between sessions or when someone prefers not to be on camera. These options make scheduling easier and allow therapy to fit around work, medical appointments or caring responsibilities.