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Home Counsellors Shahna Thurston
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Shahna Thurston, BACP

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

Works with Stress, AnxietyAddictionsRelationship issuesSelf esteemDepression

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Shahna Thurston offers a person-centred approach that puts each client's experience at the heart of therapy. She combines client-centred work with practical skills from dialectical behaviour therapy and other reflective methods to help people who feel stuck or overwhelmed. Shahna uses simple, clear language and focuses on what can change now.

Shahna has five years of professional experience and holds BACP accreditation, which means she is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Background and approach

Her background includes study to postgraduate level in counselling and psychotherapy. She draws on a range of approaches so sessions can be tailored to what a person needs most. People come to Shahna for help with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions and low self-esteem.

She also works with relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy concerns, eating and sleeping problems, anger, career dilemmas and coping with life changes. Her wider interests include ADHD, compassion fatigue, chronic illness, caregiving stress and body image issues. In sessions Shahna blends listening with practical tools.

She uses mindfulness exercises and skills training to manage strong emotions. She also helps people identify patterns that keep them stuck and try small changes that can make daily life easier. Her style is warm and straightforward.

Shahna aims to create a calm space for talking through painful experiences and working towards clearer choices. She supports people as they build resilience and regain a sense of balance.

How Shahna's Approaches Work Online

Shahna commonly uses client-centred therapy to focus on the individual's needs and perspective. This approach means sessions centre on the person's experience, with the counsellor offering empathy and reflection to help them make sense of what matters most.

She also draws on dialectical behaviour therapy or DBT-informed skills to teach practical tools for managing intense emotions and improving coping. DBT-style work is useful for problems like overwhelming anxiety, strong mood swings or difficulty regulating anger.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Shahna will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences. She listens to what is helpful and adjusts the balance of listening, skills teaching and reflective conversation as therapy progresses.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and non-verbal cues, phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited, live chat suits shorter check-ins and text messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, caregiving and busy schedules while still allowing meaningful therapeutic progress.
What kinds of problems does Shahna focus on?
She helps with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions and low self-esteem, plus relationship and intimacy concerns. The practice also supports people facing trauma, grief, eating or sleeping issues and major life changes.
What is Shahna's therapeutic style?
Her style is person-centred and practical, combining listening with skills training such as mindfulness and DBT-informed techniques. Sessions aim to be straightforward and focused on day-to-day improvements.
How much experience does she have?
Shahna has five years of professional experience working in counselling and psychotherapy settings.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is accredited with the BACP, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, and practises in the United Kingdom.
Which languages are offered and can international clients join?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
How can I attend sessions with Shahna?
She works online using video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
What does therapy cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and sessions are provided via a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with Shahna?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

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Experience
5 years
Registered with
BACP
Languages
English

Contacting Shahna

Shahna 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.

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