Michelle Rutter , BACP

Michelle Rutter is a person-centred counsellor practising in the United Kingdom. She helps people who are feeling anxious, stressed, depressed or overwhelmed by life changes. She also supports those facing grief, trauma, addiction and challenges with sleep, eating or intimacy.

Her sessions aim to give people space to talk and be heard without judgement. Michelle uses a person-centred approach that focuses on each person's own experience and choices. She combines that with cognitive behavioural ideas and elements drawn from emotionally-focused and dialectical approaches to suit individual needs.

Michelle works with clients to build practical ways to manage distress. She uses simple tools and gentle questioning to uncover patterns and develop new coping steps. The work can include mindfulness exercises, skills for managing strong emotions and looking at unhelpful thoughts.

She describes her style as compassionate, respectful and straightforward. Treatment plans are shaped around what each person brings to the room rather than a fixed programme. Michelle aims to help people regain a sense of control and move toward goals that matter to them.

Her background includes six years of clinical experience and registration with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP. Sessions are offered online in English to people in the UK and internationally.

How Michelle's approaches work online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and then commit to actions that reflect their values. It is useful for anxiety, low mood and life transitions where someone wants clearer direction. Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening, empathy and respect so people feel understood and can explore what matters to them. This approach can help with grief, relationship strain and building self-esteem.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Michelle will talk with each person about their goals and try different ways of working to find what fits. The plan is adjusted over time so sessions stay relevant to immediate needs and long-term aims.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat and text messaging to give flexibility. Video calls help maintain face-to-face connection, phone sessions can work when bandwidth is limited, live chat and messaging suit shorter check-ins or moments when typing feels easier. These options make it simpler to fit therapy around work, family and travel commitments, while letting therapists use ACT and client-centred skills effectively across formats.