Helen Willoughby , BACP, NCPS

Helen Willoughby has worked in therapeutic roles since 2003, after an earlier career in nursing. She combines long experience with a calm, patient manner and offers one-to-one counselling from her private practice. Helen holds BACP and NCPS credentials and brings 22 years of clinical experience to her work. Helen helps people deal with a wide range of concerns. These include stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar mood difficulties, addictions, trauma and abuse, and eating and body image issues. She also supports people facing relationship and family tensions, grief, parenting strain, intimacy-related issues and career questions. Her approach is adaptable and people-centred. Helen draws on client-centred methods, cognitive behavioural techniques, Jungian ideas, mindfulness and motivational interviewing to suit each person. She aims to answer questions at the start and to shape sessions around individual needs and goals. Sessions are offered in English and Helen accepts international clients. She describes counselling as a space to pause, breathe and be treated with kindness. Practical matters such as session format and scheduling are arranged together. Helen is comfortable supporting people dealing with ADHD, compassion fatigue, sleeping problems, anger and self-esteem concerns. She also works with more specific issues such as abandonment, chronic illness and disability, autism and neurodiversity, domestic violence, divorce and separation, and coping with major life changes. People who value straightforward conversation and steady encouragement are likely to find her style helpful. Helen aims to provide a respectful, non-judgmental setting and to help clients move forward at a pace that suits them.

How Helen's approaches work online

Client-centred therapy places the person’s experience at the heart of the work and involves open listening, reflection and support for personal choices. It helps when someone needs to be heard, to clarify values, or to build self-trust.

Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, focuses on practical steps to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. It can help with anxiety, low mood, sleeping difficulties and coping with stress by teaching simple techniques to try between sessions.

Mindfulness draws attention to the present moment and to noticing thoughts and feelings without judgement. It often helps people manage worry, reduce reactivity, and improve sleep and day-to-day focus.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. Helen will discuss different options and decide together with each person which methods match their needs, goals and preferences. This is a collaborative process and can change as therapy progresses.

Online formats - video, phone, live chat and text messaging - make it easier to fit therapy around busy lives. Video sessions allow fuller interaction and non-verbal cues, phone sessions use less bandwidth and suit quick check-ins, live chat can be useful for shorter conversations, and text messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options aim to offer flexibility and consistent access to a therapist from different locations.