Shirley Banton , BACP

Shirley Banton is a counsellor who brings 11 years of professional experience to her practice. She works in the United Kingdom and holds BACP accreditation, and offers sessions in English. Shirley focuses on creating a calm, steady space where people can slow down and talk through what feels overwhelming.

Her approach centres on the person in front of her. She adapts methods to each client rather than using a single rigid model. Sessions move at the client’s pace and aim to build understanding of patterns, strengthen boundaries, and restore a sense of emotional balance.

Shirley has particular experience with trauma and relational harm, including domestic violence and coercive control. She also supports people facing anxiety, burnout, grief, addictions, and life transitions. Her background in further and higher education informs her work with students and professionals navigating stress and identity pressures.

Clients who benefit tend to want thoughtful reflection rather than quick fixes. Shirley offers gentle but direct care that encourages self-exploration and practical coping skills. She blends talking therapy with strategies to manage symptoms and everyday challenges.

Therapy is available online through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. International clients may take part and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.

How Shirley’s approaches work online

Shirley uses client-centred therapy which means sessions focus on the person’s experience and priorities. The counsellor follows your lead, listens closely, and helps you make sense of feelings and choices. This approach helps with low self-worth, relationship patterns, and emotional overwhelm.

She also draws on cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, to identify unhelpful thoughts and try small experiments to change them. CBT is practical and can be used for anxiety, low mood, sleep problems, and some addictive behaviours.

Finding the right approach is a shared process. Shirley will work with each person to choose methods that match goals and preferences, and she may blend approaches as needs evolve. That lets the work be both reflective and practical depending on what helps most.

Online therapy offers flexibility for people with busy lives or limited travel options. Video calls allow a fuller conversational experience, phone sessions use less bandwidth, live chat can suit short check-ins, and text-based messaging works for ongoing reflection between sessions. Registered or accredited professionals deliver sessions so clients can access consistent care from different locations, fitting therapy around study, work, or family commitments.