Michelle Robinson-Hayes , BACP

Michelle Robinson-Hayes helps people manage stress, anxiety, grief, relationship problems, low self-esteem and life changes. She supports clients dealing with addictions, trauma and abuse, eating and sleeping concerns, parenting strain, ADHD and issues around intimacy. Michelle also works with career worries, compassion fatigue and concerns common to LGBT people.

Michelle is BACP, which means she is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. She has around ten years of focused counselling experience and more than a decade of broader professional experience in management and training. Her background includes running a counselling and hypnotherapy practice called The Listening Tree for over eight years.

Her way of working is practical and person-centred. Sessions aim to be straightforward and collaborative. She mixes client-centred listening with cognitive behavioural ideas, hypnotherapy and mindfulness depending on the person and the issue.

Michelle has significant experience supporting people through bereavement and has volunteered with bereavement services, completing over 150 hours in that role. She also offers supervision for other counsellors and has taught hypnotherapy and counselling to trainees up to level 5.

Her prior career in senior management informs how she helps people with goal setting and practical planning. Michelle combines coaching skills with therapeutic listening to help people set realistic objectives and take manageable steps forward.

Sessions are offered in English and Michelle welcomes people from the United Kingdom and international clients who need online support.

Therapeutic approaches and online access

Michelle blends client-centred work with cognitive behavioural techniques to help people address distressing thoughts and practical problems. Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening deeply and helping the person set the pace; it is useful for building trust and exploring feelings. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at patterns of thinking and behaviour and offers practical strategies to reduce anxiety and improve mood. Hypnotherapy is used as a complementary option to support relaxation and behaviour change through guided imagery and focused attention.

Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. Michelle will discuss goals, preferences and what feels comfortable, then try methods that suit the individual. She adjusts the blend of listening, coaching and practical exercises as the work progresses so the plan reflects changing needs and outcomes.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging, which offer different practical benefits. Video calls replicate face-to-face interaction for deeper conversation, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited, live chat allows quicker check-ins and messaging supports shorter or ongoing contact between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, study or family schedules and to continue care across locations.