Francesca Martin , BACP

Francesca Martin is a counsellor with 17 years of experience. She is a BACP member and has worked in schools and specialist agencies, including services for alcohol-related issues. Francesca has provided one-to-one counselling, couples work, and supervision across different settings.

She focuses on practical conversations about things that feel heavy. People often come to her for stress, anxiety, relationship problems, grief, low self-esteem, or life changes. She also supports those facing addiction, trauma and abuse, intimacy issues, parenting pressures, career decisions and compassion fatigue.

Her approach is person-centred, which means she listens without judgement and helps people make sense of their experience. Sessions aim to give space to explore feelings and look at options rather than being told what to do. Francesca offers a calm, accepting listening style that helps clients feel heard.

Francesca has particular interest in relationship-related concerns and has additional qualifications in couples counselling and online and telephone work. She has long experience working with young people and adults in schools and community agencies. This background informs a down-to-earth way of meeting people where they are.

Practical matters such as session format and rhythm are worked out together. Francesca invites clients to describe what they need and helps shape sessions to those needs. She welcomes conversations about how best to approach each person's situation.

How Francesca uses person-centred work online

Francesca primarily practises person-centred counselling, which centres on listening, empathy and helping people make sense of their own experience. This approach suits issues such as anxiety, low self-esteem, relationship concerns and grief because it creates space to reflect and consider options in a supportive way.

She also brings experience from couples work and from counselling in schools and agencies, which informs a straightforward, practical style when working online. Those elements help when clients need focused conversations about relationship patterns, communication or life changes. Finding the right approach is part of the process and Francesca works collaboratively to identify what fits a person's needs, goals and preferences rather than imposing a single method.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging to suit different circumstances. Video calls are useful for face-to-face conversation and visual cues, phone sessions need less bandwidth and can be easier to fit into a work break, while chat or messaging can suit short check-ins or people who prefer not to be on camera. These options offer flexibility so therapy can be arranged around work, family or other commitments.