Janis Dreosti, BACP

Practical approaches for online counselling

Client-Centred Therapy places the person at the centre of the work, with the counsellor offering empathy and reflection to help them make sense of their experience and decide next steps. This approach helps when someone needs time to talk through feelings and regain confidence in their own choices.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings and actions. It uses straightforward exercises to challenge unhelpful thinking and introduce new behaviours, which can be useful for anxiety, low mood, sleep problems and coping with overwhelm.

Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple habits to notice thoughts and bodily sensations without getting swept away by them. These practices can reduce rumination and help with stress, sleep and emotional regulation.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences and what feels most helpful, then tailor methods together. This collaborative process means plans can change as progress is made.

Online therapy offers flexibility across formats. Video calls enable face-to-face conversation and visual cues, phone sessions can fit into a short break or require less bandwidth, live chat gives an immediate way to check in, and text-based messaging lets people reflect between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, study and family life while still using the therapist's skills and methods.