Karen Barnitt , BACP

Karen Barnitt is a counsellor with 13 years' experience working in the United Kingdom. She is a BACP member, and she aims to make sessions warm and approachable so people can talk about painful or difficult topics without feeling judged. Karen focuses on practical help and listening first, then tailoring the work to what each person needs.

Her practice puts the person at the centre. Sessions begin with the client's priorities and move at a comfortable pace. She pays close attention to how past experiences affect daily life and relationships, and helps people notice patterns that keep them stuck.

Karen uses a trauma-informed lens when the history of hurt is part of the picture. That means she works gently and pauses where things feel too overwhelming. The goal is to build coping skills that feel usable between sessions and to reduce the hold of distressing memories or reactions.

She also draws on client-centred ways of working that focus on the person's own goals and choices. Narrative approaches are used to help people reframe difficult stories about themselves and see different options moving forward. These methods can suit people dealing with anxiety, depression, addiction, relationship and intimacy issues, or major life change.

People often come for help with parenting strain, caring responsibilities, body image, or recovery after domestic abuse or separation. Karen offers a steady, non-blaming space to talk things through and to practise new ways of coping. The emphasis is on realistic steps, not quick fixes.

Therapeutic approaches and online options

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on the person's own goals and choices. The counsellor listens without judgement and helps people find their own solutions, which can be useful for issues such as stress, low self-esteem and relationship concerns.

Narrative Therapy works by separating the person from the problem and rewriting the stories that keep someone stuck. It can be helpful for changing how people view themselves after trauma, addiction or difficult life changes.

Trauma-Focused Therapy pays attention to the effects of past hurt on present life. Work is paced to avoid overwhelm and aims to build coping strategies so distressing memories have less power over day-to-day functioning.

Choosing the best approach is a shared process. The counsellor will talk through options, consider your goals and preferences, and adjust the plan as you go. This collaborative way helps match methods to what you actually want from therapy.

Online sessions are offered by registered or accredited professionals using video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging. Video calls let you use visual cues and longer conversations, phone sessions can work well if bandwidth is limited, live chat suits shorter check-ins, and messaging allows ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to keep momentum between appointments.