Wendy Stirling , BACP

Wendy Stirling is a counsellor who focuses on issues many women face, including stress, anxiety and life transitions. She uses plain conversation to help people sort out what matters most and decide on practical next steps. Wendy aims to make the first approach to therapy feel manageable and respectful. She has been working in the UK for ten years and holds BACP registration. Wendy believes every person brings a unique history to therapy. She draws on several approaches, such as acceptance and commitment techniques and cognitive behavioural ideas, to fit each person’s situation. Sessions are adapted to suit the client - some people want more direct skills work, others prefer to explore past attachment patterns or emotional responses. Her own long-term therapy experience shaped how she listens. That background informs a calm, non-judgemental style and a focus on building trust. Wendy explains things simply and helps people set realistic, short-term goals. She works with a wide range of concerns including trauma, grief, addictions, relationship and intimacy-related issues, body image and parenting stresses. Additional areas she addresses include attachment and abandonment issues, autism and blended family challenges. Wendy offers a collaborative way of working. She will tailor sessions to each person’s needs and pace, and encourages practical steps that can be tried between meetings. To begin, people choose a session format that suits them and then arrange times that work with their life.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Wendy uses acceptance and commitment ideas and cognitive behavioural methods to guide online work. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings while choosing actions that match their values; it can help with anxiety, stress and life changes. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and learning practical coping skills to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Choosing the right approach is part of the process and is decided together. Wendy will listen to your goals, try different methods where helpful, and agree a plan that feels manageable. This collaborative stance helps people find what works for them rather than sticking to a single technique.

Online sessions offer practical flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when it helps, phone sessions can be better when someone has limited bandwidth, and live chat or text-based messaging suit brief check-ins or people who prefer writing. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family or other commitments while accessing a therapist who uses ACT and CBT in session.