Helen Willoughby, BACP, NCPS

Helen Willoughby is a counsellor with 22 years of clinical experience who began her career in nursing before moving into therapy. She holds BACP and NCPS credentials and works from the United Kingdom. Helen has spent many years helping people with issues such as sexuality, mental health, relationships, grief and abuse, and she frames her practice around respectful, individual care.

Helen uses straightforward, person-focused ways of working. She asks questions at the start so people know what to expect and tailors sessions to each person rather than sticking to one method. The first meetings are described as an opportunity to air doubts and get a sense of how to proceed.

Her practice includes support for stress, anxiety, depression, addictions and sleep problems, along with areas such as parenting, career concerns and coping with life changes. She also lists work with LGBT issues, trauma and abuse, eating difficulties, grief and intimacy-related problems. Helen notes additional focus on abandonment, aging and geriatric issues, autism and Asperger syndrome, chronic illness and disability, and domestic violence.

Therapeutic approaches mentioned include client-centred care, cognitive behavioural therapy, Jungian ideas, mindfulness and motivational interviewing. In sessions she mixes these approaches to match what each person needs and prefers. She aims to be kind and compassionate while helping people notice practical steps forward.

Counselling can feel challenging at first, and Helen describes it as a place to breathe and be kind to yourself. She invites people to take a first step when they feel ready and to work at a pace that suits them.

Approaches and online working together

Helen blends client-centred work with cognitive behavioural techniques to support people in practical ways. Client-centred therapy focuses on listening, acceptance and following what matters most to the person. It helps when someone needs space to talk and be heard without judgement. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) looks at links between thoughts, feelings and behaviour and teaches simple strategies to reduce unhelpful patterns and improve mood and sleep.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Helen will talk with each person about goals and preferences and suggest which methods might help. Decisions about what to try are made collaboratively and can change as therapy progresses.

The biography does not list specific session formats, so please confirm current online options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow a shorter check-in when needed. Some formats use less bandwidth or do not require a camera, which can help when surroundings are noisy or time is limited. Registered or accredited professionals can adapt the work so sessions feel useful even when they are not in the same room.