Nigel Skinner , BACP, NCPS

Nigel Skinner offers support for stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, anger, low self-esteem and coping with life changes. He creates a calm, non-judgemental space where people can talk openly. Nigel listens, helps clarify what matters most, and works with each person to try practical steps that can ease daily life.

He draws on three years of clinical counselling experience and over 500 hours of supervised practice. Before counselling work he spent more than 35 years in people management and psychology-based coaching. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology (Honours) and a Master of Science in Counselling and Psychotherapy, and is registered with BACP and NCPS.

Nigel blends short-term and longer-term approaches to suit the person in front of him. He uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and cognitive behavioural tools to tackle unhelpful thinking and build workable habits. He also adopts client-centred listening and mindfulness practices to help people feel steadier in the moment.

Sessions aim to be straightforward and goal-focused when that helps, or more exploratory when people want to understand patterns from the past. Nigel can help with specific issues such as abandonment, attachment or body image, and with wider concerns including caregiver stress, communication problems and coping after disaster.

He works with adults and has past experience supporting high school and university students in mentoring and clinical roles. Sessions are offered in English and take place online using video, phone, live chat or text-based messaging.

Approaches that guide online counselling

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and choose actions that match their values. It is often useful for anxiety, low mood and life transitions when someone wants clearer direction rather than just symptom relief.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, CBT, focuses on identifying thinking patterns and changing behaviours that keep problems going. It tends to be practical and structured, which can help with stress, anxiety and anger by giving concrete tools to try between sessions.

Client-Centred Therapy emphasises listening and empathy. The counsellor offers non-judgemental support so people can explore feelings at their own pace, which can be helpful for trauma, attachment issues and self-esteem work.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Nigel will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and adapt methods accordingly. This is a collaborative process where plans are adjusted as therapy progresses to match what is helpful.

Online sessions can be arranged by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging. Video is useful for face-to-face conversation and visual cues, phone calls need less bandwidth and can fit into a shorter break, and chat or messaging suit people who prefer writing or want brief check-ins. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family and other commitments while keeping continuity of care with registered or accredited professionals.