Directory entry

Debra Laking, BACP

Credentials: BACP
Experience: 4 years
Practising in: United Kingdom
Languages: English
Sessions: Online only
Client ages: Adults, 18 and over

Works with Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesGrief Self esteem Coping with life changes

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Debra Laking offers a warm, person-focused counselling style that centres on the client’s needs. She uses approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Client-Centred Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to help people make sense of stress, anxiety and relationship strain. Debra is listed with the BACP and works from the United Kingdom.

She communicates in English and accepts international clients. Debra helps people who are coping with grief, low self-esteem and life transitions.

Background and approach

She also supports those facing ageing and geriatric concerns, attachment difficulties, autism and Asperger syndrome, cancer-related distress, caregiver stress and hospice or end-of-life matters. Practical everyday problems such as communication breakdowns, control issues, commitment worries, isolation and purpose are part of her caseload. Her approach is straightforward and collaborative.

Sessions focus on small, manageable steps and practical strategies alongside reflective conversation. Techniques from mindfulness and CBT are used to notice difficult thoughts and try new responses, while Client-Centred work keeps the person’s values and choices at the heart of therapy. With four years of professional experience she combines evidence-informed methods with a gentle, non-judgemental manner.

People who come to Debra often want to reconnect with what matters and build skills to cope better day to day. She guides that process with empathy and clear, simple tools. Therapy can address both immediate worries and longer-term aims.

Debra encourages clients to set achievable goals and reviews progress together. Practical concerns such as communication and relationship patterns are worked on alongside emotional processing and grief support.

How Debra’s approaches translate to online therapy

Debra often uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people clarify what matters most and take small actions that align with those values. ACT is useful for anxiety, stress and life transitions because it focuses on noticing thoughts and choosing meaningful behaviour rather than getting stuck in feeling better right away.

She also draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and test practical experiments. CBT helps with anxiety, low mood and coping strategies by breaking problems into manageable steps and practising new ways of responding. Client-Centred Therapy provides a compassionate, listening-led base for both approaches by prioritising the person’s experience and choices.

Finding the right mix of methods is part of the work. The therapist and client decide together which techniques fit the situation and goals. That collaborative process may shift over time as immediate goals are met and new priorities emerge.

Online sessions can be arranged as video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging to match lifestyle and access needs. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues, phone sessions need lower bandwidth and can fit a short break at work, while messaging or live chat can be useful for quick check-ins and reflection between longer appointments. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent and to practise new skills in everyday life.

What concerns does Debra commonly address?

She works with stress, anxiety, relationship strain, grief, self-esteem and coping with life changes, plus related issues like isolation, caregiver stress and end-of-life concerns.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Debra blends Client-Centred listening with practical methods from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to build coping strategies and explore values.

How much experience does she have?

Debra has four years of professional experience working as a counsellor in the United Kingdom.

What credentials and location are listed?

She is registered with the BACP and is based in the United Kingdom.

Which languages are supported and can international clients join?

Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.

Which session formats does she offer?

Debra works online using video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.

How does pricing work for sessions?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.

How do I begin working with Debra?

Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

Areas of focus

What this therapist works with

Most often

Stress, Anxiety
Relationship issues
Grief

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 4 years
Registered with: BACP
Languages: English

Contacting Debra

Debra takes enquiries through BetterHelp. You answer a few questions about what you are looking for, then arrange sessions if it seems like a fit. Browsing costs nothing and you are not committing to anything by reading this page.

Debra Laking, BACP

Background and approach

How Debra’s approaches translate to online therapy

Areas of focus

What this therapist works with

Others working with stress, anxiety