Peter Turner, BACP

Practical approaches for online therapy

Peter uses Client-Centred Therapy to place the person's priorities at the heart of sessions. That approach means the therapist listens carefully, reflects back what is said and lets the client set the pace and topics to work on. It is useful when someone wants supportive, non-judgemental space to make changes.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, focuses on spotting unhelpful thinking and testing new ways of responding. CBT is often used for anxiety, low mood, panic and problems with sleep or focus because it gives clear exercises and strategies to practise between sessions.

Mindfulness Therapy introduces simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and improve focus. These techniques can help with stress, rumination and waking at night.

Finding the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with the client to choose and adapt methods based on their goals, preferences and what feels most helpful in early sessions. Goals and techniques are reviewed as work progresses so the plan can change when needed.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging. Video is useful for a full face-to-face style meeting, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, live chat or messaging suits short check-ins or when typing feels more comfortable. These options create flexibility for fitting therapy around work, family and daily life.