Debra "Debs" Barritt , BACP

Debra "Debs" Barritt is a counsellor with 15 years of practice and a long history of supporting people through hard times. She trained originally as a person-centred counsellor and now combines that foundation with other methods to suit each person she meets. Debs lives in Haverhill and has worked in hospices and private practice settings, bringing compassionate, practical help to people in distress.

Her approach is warm and straightforward. Sessions focus on what is happening now and on small, manageable steps forward. She listens for what matters most to each person and helps them find ways to cope with grief, anxiety, or major life changes.

Debs has particular experience with bereavement and end of life work from her time in hospice-based counselling. She also supports people facing stress, relationship difficulties, depression, addictions, trauma and abuse, and issues around self-esteem and intimacy. She can help with parenting strains, career changes, ADHD and compassion fatigue.

Her practical style often blends person-centred listening with techniques from cognitive behavioural therapy and Internal Family Systems. Conversations aim to make feelings clearer, reduce overwhelming thoughts, and build healthier patterns of coping. Sessions are held with kindness and realism.

Debs is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP. She offers sessions in English and works with people in the United Kingdom. To begin, clients follow an online matching process then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Therapeutic approaches for online counselling

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and understanding. The counsellor offers empathy and acceptance so the person can find their own direction, which helps with issues like low self-esteem, relationship stress and life transitions.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at the link between thoughts, feelings and actions. It teaches simple tools to challenge unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviours, which can be useful for anxiety, depression and coping with overwhelming moments.

Internal Family Systems works with different parts of a person’s inner world. It helps people notice conflicting feelings and build kinder, calmer relationships with themselves, which can aid recovery from trauma and difficult patterns.

Finding the right approach is usually a collaborative process. The therapist will talk through goals, preferences and what feels most helpful, then adapt methods over time. Clients are invited to give feedback so work can shift if something is not fitting.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls provide face-to-face conversation, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited, and live chat or text-based messaging suit shorter check-ins or days when writing feels easier. These options make it simpler to fit sessions around work, family commitments and daily life.