Shirley Rocks , BACP

Shirley Rocks is a counsellor who aims to help women and other adults facing stress, anxiety, grief and identity questions. She offers calm, steady support for people feeling overwhelmed, stuck or unsure what to do next. Her approach is warm and non-judgemental, and she invites people to go at a pace that feels right for them.

Shirley trained with the Mid Ulster Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapy and with Cruse Bereavement, and she holds BACP accreditation. She has four years of experience working with grief, loss and emotional transition, and she also supports people with addiction, sleep problems, low self-confidence and anxiety.

Sessions focus on exploring what is causing distress and building practical ways to manage it. Shirley uses a compassion-focused stance and tailors sessions to each person's needs and goals. She may introduce journaling or guided poetry for people who find writing helpful, and no prior writing experience is required.

Shirley draws on approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based work and Emotionally-Focused ideas, choosing methods that match a person's situation. The aim is more self-understanding, greater emotional resilience and kinder self-talk.

She works with a wide range of concerns linked to relationships, self-esteem, women's issues, trauma and workplace stress. Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients who can join from different countries.

Therapeutic approaches online and how they help

Shirley uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without being overwhelmed by them and to clarify what matters most. This approach can be useful for anxiety, low mood and feeling stuck. Attachment-Based Therapy is used to look at patterns from early relationships that affect how people relate now, which can help with trust, abandonment and attachment issues.

Finding the right approach is worked out together. Shirley will listen to your situation, discuss what you want to change and suggest methods that fit your goals and preferences. The process is collaborative, and techniques can be adjusted as therapy progresses.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging. Video sessions allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues, phone calls use less bandwidth and can be easier to fit into a break, and messaging or live chat can suit short check-ins or people who prefer writing. These options make it easier to join sessions from different locations and to fit therapy around work, family and travel commitments.