Paula Otley, BACP, NCPS
Paula Otley is a counsellor with 16 years of experience supporting people through loss, stress and major life changes.
About Paula
Paula Otley is a counsellor with 16 years of experience supporting people through loss, stress and major life changes. She meets each person as they are and aims to build a steady, trusting relationship before beginning the work. Paula uses clear, practical language and a calm presence to help people feel heard and understood.
She began supporting bereaved people as a volunteer and that experience shaped her approach to emotional wounds.
Background and approach
Paula trained as an integrative counsellor, drawing on person-centred and psychodynamic ideas to understand relationships, patterns and early influences. In 2020 she added cognitive behavioural techniques to offer more structured ways to manage thoughts and behaviours. Her background includes work in GP practices, the NHS, charities, community counselling and employee assistance programmes.
That variety means she is used to different situations and ways people ask for help. She also lists trauma and abuse among the concerns she supports, and works with issues such as anxiety, depression, grief and relationship difficulties. Sessions focus on what matters most to the client, whether that is short-term coping strategies or exploring longer-term patterns.
Paula aims to make each session collaborative, setting small goals and checking progress together. She draws on attachment-based ideas to help people understand how early relationships affect present difficulties. People who come to Paula often want a straightforward, compassionate counsellor who listens, reflects and helps plan practical next steps.
She works online with clients in the United Kingdom and internationally, offering flexible formats to suit different needs.
Details from the counsellor's public professional profile · registration number listed
← Browse all counsellorsRegistration
| Body | Registration number | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| BACP | 381077 | April 2026 |
| NCPS | NCS21-02334 | December 2026 |
Registration details are as listed on the counsellor's public profile. You can check any number with the registering body.
Sessions and payment
Sessions are held online through our partner platform, by video, phone or messaging depending on the counsellor.
Cost Costs are shown on the partner platform before you commit. If cost is a concern, ask about reduced-fee options.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Paula lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Fertility issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counselling
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trichotillomania
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Ways of working Paula names
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centred Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each counsellor lists and does not check training records.
How Paula's approaches translate to online therapy
Paula combines attachment-based thinking with person-centred listening and cognitive behavioural work. Attachment-based ideas look at how early relationships shape current reactions and help when patterns of connection or trust cause distress. Person-centred work centres on the client's experience, offering a non-judgemental space to talk and be heard. Cognitive behavioural techniques give practical steps to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours, useful for anxiety, low mood and sleep problems.Deciding which approach to use is part of the work together. Paula discusses goals and preferences in the first sessions and adapts the mix of listening, exploration and skills practice to fit each person. That collaborative planning means methods can change as progress is made or needs shift.
Online therapy offers flexibility for different lives and schedules. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues, phone sessions need less bandwidth and can be easier when being on camera isn't wanted, live chat can suit quick check-ins, and text-based messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options help people maintain regular contact and fit therapy around work, family and travel.
Frequently asked
What kinds of problems does Paula help with?
She supports people with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, grief, depression, relationship and intimacy issues, trauma and abuse, addiction, self-esteem and sleep problems.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
Her work is relational and person-centred with clear, practical elements from cognitive behavioural therapy. Sessions combine listening, reflection and collaborative planning.
What experience does she bring to sessions?
She has 16 years of experience, beginning with bereavement support volunteering and extending into roles in GP practice, the NHS, charities, community counselling and employee assistance programmes.
Which credentials and location are listed for Paula?
Her listed credentials are BACP and NCPS, and she practises from the United Kingdom.
Are sessions available in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
What session formats does she use?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to suit different preferences and schedules.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time; costs vary with location and therapist availability.
How do I begin working with her?
To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire and schedule according to therapist availability.
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