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Home Counsellors Helen Downs
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Helen Downs, NCPS

Credentials
NCPS
Experience
7 years
Practising in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Sessions
Online only
Client ages
Adults, 18 and over

Works with Stress, AnxietyAddictionsLGBTTrauma and abuseSelf esteem

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Helen Downs helps people manage stress, anxiety, addiction and trauma. She also supports concerns such as depression, bipolar symptoms, self-esteem, grief, intimacy and relationship difficulties. Helen works with issues around parenting, sleep, eating, career stress and compassion fatigue.

She is comfortable discussing LGBT matters, ADHD and a wide range of neurodiversity-related concerns. Helen brings seven years of practice to her work, and she holds the NCPS credential. She has practised hypnotherapy for seven years alongside other therapeutic approaches.

Background and approach

Many clients come for help after major life changes, or when old coping strategies no longer work. Her style is straightforward and warm. Sessions focus on the person in front of her and what matters most to them.

Helen uses a mix of practical skills and talking therapies to help people manage feelings and rebuild routines. In therapy she draws on client-centred principles, cognitive behavioural techniques and elements of dialectical behaviour therapy. She also uses psychodynamic ideas to understand repeating patterns, and hypnotherapy where appropriate.

These methods are used to tailor the work to each person’s needs and goals. Helen has experience working with people in custodial settings and with those affected by the criminal justice system. She aims to create a respectful, non-judgemental space so people can plan realistic steps towards change.

If someone needs an approach that fits their life, she helps them choose it together.

Therapeutic approaches and online options

Helen often uses client-centred work which focuses on the person’s priorities and builds on their strengths; this helps when someone needs a listening space and practical support. She also uses cognitive behavioural therapy or CBT to identify patterns of thinking and behaviour and to teach strategies for managing anxiety, low mood and sleep problems. Dialectical behaviour therapy or DBT skills are used when emotional intensity or difficulties with regulation are present, offering concrete tools for managing strong feelings and improving communication.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Helen will discuss goals, preferences and what has or hasn’t helped before, then recommend options and adapt methods as the relationship develops. This collaborative process means the plan can change as needs become clearer.

Online therapy is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging, which lets people fit therapy around work, family and travel. Video calls approximate a face-to-face conversation, phone sessions can be simpler when internet is limited, live chat is useful for shorter check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between meetings. These options aim to make it easier to receive steady support while balancing everyday life.
What concerns does this counsellor help with?
She helps with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, depression and bipolar mood issues, plus relationship, intimacy and family concerns.
What is her general therapeutic style?
Her approach is warm and straightforward, focusing on the person and practical steps. She combines talking and skills-based work to help manage feelings and daily routines.
How much experience does she have?
She has seven years of professional practice and seven years practising hypnotherapy.
What credentials and location apply?
She holds the NCPS credential and practices in the United Kingdom.
Which languages and international arrangements are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
Which session formats are offered?
Sessions are available as video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
What is the first step to begin therapy?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

Areas of focus

What this therapist works with

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Therapeutic approaches

Experience
7 years
Registered with
NCPS
Languages
English

Contacting Helen

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