Louise Smith, BACP

Practical approaches for online therapy and coping

Client-Centred Therapy places the person’s concerns at the heart of each session. The counsellor listens without judgement and follows the client’s lead to uncover what matters most and what feels manageable to change. This helps when someone needs space to be heard and to make decisions about next steps.

Mindfulness Therapy teaches straightforward attention and breathing practices to reduce the hold of racing thoughts and bodily tension. It is useful for anxiety, stress and when emotions feel overwhelming, because it gives accessible techniques to use between sessions.

Solution-Focused Therapy concentrates on small, achievable goals and on what already helps. Sessions focus on practical steps and on building strengths rather than re-living every difficulty, so progress can be noticed quickly.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the client to choose what fits their needs, goals and preferences. That choice can change over time as new priorities emerge.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging. Video works well for face-to-face conversation, phone calls suit people with less bandwidth, live chat can be a quicker check-in, and messaging lets someone reflect in their own time. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family and travel, and to keep progress moving even when schedules are tight.