Alex Hayes, BACP

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, often called ACT, helps people notice thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, and then commit to actions that match their values; it is useful for anxiety, stress and life changes. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and patterns and practising different behaviours and skills to reduce symptoms such as low mood, anxiety and sleep problems. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at patterns in close relationships and how past and current connections shape feelings and behaviour, which can help with intimacy, abandonment and communication difficulties.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals and preferences. That means trying approaches, reviewing what helps and adjusting the plan together rather than imposing a single method.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when visual cues matter. Phone sessions can be helpful when bandwidth is limited or for a shorter check-in. Live chat and text-based messaging suit people who prefer to write, need flexible timing or want a way to reflect between messages. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, travel and different schedules while using the approaches outlined above.