Elizabeth (Liz) Cook, BACP

Elizabeth (Liz) Cook welcomes people who are unsure about counselling or who want a different experience from before. She writes in plain terms and gives time for clients to explain their situation and goals. Liz holds the BACP credential, and she has worked in the field for 12 years, drawing on a long history supporting people in social care.

She trained in person-centred counselling and has a qualification in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT. In sessions she offers a calm, listening presence and helps people sort out practical ways to cope with current problems. Conversations focus on what is happening now and what small steps might help day to day.

Her background includes 22 years in social care supporting people with disabilities and the families who care for them. That experience shapes how she responds to illness, chronic conditions and the pressures placed on carers. She is comfortable talking about grief, long-term health worries and the tensions that come with caring roles.

Clients also come to her for stress, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, relationship and intimacy concerns, sleep and eating difficulties, and help with life transitions. She works with issues related to addiction, bipolar disorder, ADHD and trauma as well as aspects such as guilt, shame, isolation and a search for life purpose.

In a first meeting she will take time to hear the story and agree goals together. From there she uses person-centred principles alongside CBT techniques to make practical changes and build coping skills. Her style is straightforward, steady and focused on small, achievable steps.

How CBT and person-centred work online

CBT is a practical approach that looks at current thoughts and behaviours. It breaks problems into small parts and teaches techniques to change unhelpful thinking and behaviours, which can help with anxiety, low mood, sleep and coping with illness.

Person-centred counselling focuses on being heard and understood. The counsellor provides a supportive space so people can make sense of their feelings and decide what changes matter to them. This approach is useful for grief, identity questions and feeling stuck.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The counsellor will talk with clients about needs, goals and preferences and then agree whether CBT, person-centred work or a mix is most helpful. That decision is collaborative and can change as therapy progresses.

If you are considering online therapy, check the current session options before booking since formats are not listed here. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions around busy days, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It can also suit people managing long-term illness or caregiving tasks by making it simpler to attend without rearranging care or travel.