Melanie Baker , NCPS

Melanie Baker is a counsellor who focuses on helping people facing stress, anxiety, low self‑esteem and depression. She works with people navigating life changes and those feeling worn down by compassion fatigue. Melanie describes her approach as kind and honest and aims to help people take the first small steps toward feeling better.

She begins by listening closely to what matters to each person. In an initial session she will ask about current struggles and what a more satisfying life looks like for you. Sessions are used to talk through recurring thoughts, painful losses, or practical challenges and to agree on pragmatic steps forward.

Melanie combines several ways of working to match what each person finds useful. She draws on client‑centred methods to keep the focus on the person, psychodynamic ideas to look at patterns from the past, and cognitive behavioural techniques to try new ways of thinking and acting. She may also use motivational interviewing to support change when needed.

Practical tools often appear in sessions. These can include breathing and grounding exercises, journaling, worksheets, role play, visualisation and setting SMART goals. Activities are chosen to suit what the person enjoys and finds helpful rather than following a fixed routine.

She is registered with NCPS and has three years of professional experience. Melanie works with adults in the United Kingdom and holds sessions in English. If a specialist referral would better support a person, she will suggest next steps and signpost to other professionals.

How Melanie's approaches work online

Melanie commonly uses client‑centred therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy in her online work. Client‑centred therapy focuses on listening, empathy and helping the person lead the direction of sessions; it suits people who need someone to hear their story and reflect it back. Cognitive behavioural therapy looks at how thoughts, feelings and actions connect and includes exercises to test and change unhelpful thinking patterns, which can help with anxiety, low mood and compulsive behaviours.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Melanie will talk with each person about their goals, preferences and what has or has not helped before. Together they will choose which methods to try and review progress as therapy continues, making adjustments when needed in a collaborative way.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text‑based messaging. Video calls are useful for an in‑depth conversation and exercises that benefit from visual contact. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or a less visual check‑in is preferred. Live chat and messaging suit shorter check‑ins, reflective journaling between sessions, or people who find typing easier than talking. These options aim to make therapy more flexible and easier to fit around work, caregiving and daily life.