Paul Linger , BACP

Paul Linger is a counsellor who helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, relationship and intimacy concerns, grief, and life transitions. He works with issues around parenting, eating and body image, bipolar mood challenges, and career stress. Paul also supports people dealing with trauma, anger, self‑esteem and attachment difficulties. He lists a focus on women’s issues among his areas of interest.

Paul uses a straightforward, collaborative style in sessions. He treats clients with respect and sensitivity and believes people bring strengths that can be built on. His approach is warm and interactive and aims to make difficult topics easier to talk about.

His background includes four years of professional practice alongside a decade of wider work in mental health services. That earlier experience spans autism and additional needs support, addictions and youth work, social care, and community mental health work within the NHS. He also runs a private practice in the United Kingdom.

Paul works from a mix of therapy approaches and adapts the way he works to each person. He draws on cognitive and behavioural ideas, person‑centred principles, attachment concepts, and elements from acceptance and dialectical approaches. Together these help him shape a plan that fits a person’s goals and day‑to‑day life.

People can expect practical conversations and tools alongside space to reflect and process emotions. Paul encourages small steps and supports people as they try new ways of coping and relating.

How Paul’s approaches translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings and then choose actions that match their values. It’s useful for anxiety, avoidance and big life changes where motivation and meaning matter. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and testing it with small behavioural changes, which can help with anxiety, depression and stress in everyday life.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Paul will discuss the options and try methods that suit the person’s goals and preferences. He frames this as a collaborative process and adjusts the plan as circumstances change or new priorities emerge.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text messaging to offer flexibility. Video lets people work face to face when that helps. Phone sessions need less bandwidth and can fit into a work break or a busy day. Live chat and text are useful for shorter check‑ins, prompts between sessions or when typing feels easier than speaking. These options help fit therapy into everyday life and keep progress moving between meetings.