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Home Counsellors Paula Otley
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Paula Otley, BACP, NCPS

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

Works with Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesGriefSelf esteemDepression

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Paula Otley offers calm, steady support for people facing loss, anxiety, low mood and major life changes. She meets each person as they are and helps them make sense of difficult feelings. Paula draws on many years of listening work to create a safe space where people can talk and be heard.

Paula has 16 years of experience working directly with people in distress. Much of that time was spent offering bereavement support, sitting alongside people during very painful moments.

Background and approach

That experience shaped her move into professional counselling and a relational way of working. She trained as an integrative counsellor with a focus on person-centred and psychodynamic approaches. In 2020 she added cognitive behavioural therapy to her methods, giving practical tools alongside reflective conversation.

Paula holds BACP and NCPS credentials as recorded in her profile. Her background includes roles in GP practice, the NHS, charities, community counselling services, independent practice and employee assistance programmes. This variety means she is used to different needs and settings and can adapt how she works to suit each person.

Paula aims to build a trusting working relationship first. From there she and the client agree on clear steps, whether that means looking at past patterns, learning coping skills, or using mindfulness to manage stress. She emphasises collaboration and practical support throughout therapy.

How Paula’s approaches work online

Paula uses attachment-based ideas to look at how early relationships shape current feelings and responses; this helps when trust, abandonment or intimacy issues are causing distress. She also uses client-centred methods that keep the conversation focused on the person’s experience, offering empathy and acceptance while the client makes sense of their situation.

Paula integrates cognitive behavioural therapy to teach practical strategies for anxiety, low mood and unhelpful thinking. CBT gives concrete tools such as activity planning and thought records that pair well with reflective work on patterns and relationships.

Deciding which approach to use is a collaborative process. Paula will work with each person to identify goals, try different techniques, and adjust the way they work together as needs change. The aim is a good fit rather than a fixed method, and she helps clients evaluate what feels most useful.

Online sessions bring practical flexibility. Video calls are close to an in-person session and allow face-to-face conversation, while phone sessions need less bandwidth and can be easier to fit into a busy day. Live chat and text-based messaging suit shorter check-ins, ongoing reflections between sessions, or people who find typing easier than speaking. These options make it simpler to keep therapy consistent around life commitments.
What kinds of concerns does Paula help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression and grief alongside relationship and intimacy issues. Other areas include self-esteem, addictions, sleep and eating problems, ADHD and career pressures.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Paula blends a person-centred, relational approach with psychodynamic reflection and CBT techniques. Sessions can include talking through past patterns and learning practical coping skills.
What is her professional background?
She has 16 years of experience, much of it providing bereavement support, and has worked in GP practice, the NHS, charities and employee assistance programmes.
What credentials does she hold and where is she based?
Paula is listed with BACP and NCPS and practices in the United Kingdom.
Can sessions be held in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available online?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are delivered through a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with Paula?
Choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

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Experience
16 years
Registered with
BACP, NCPS
Languages
English

Contacting Paula

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