Russell Bresgall, BACP

Therapeutic approaches for online counselling

Russell uses client-centred work to build a trusting connection and support people to speak freely about what matters to them. This approach focuses on listening, reflecting and helping the person find their own solutions, which can be especially helpful when someone feels stuck or unsure about next steps.

He also draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which looks at how thoughts and actions influence feelings. CBT offers practical exercises to break unhelpful patterns and can be useful for anxiety, stress, sleep difficulties and mild behavioural change goals. Mindfulness techniques are often used alongside these approaches to help with stress, concentration and emotional regulation.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with the client to identify goals, try different methods and adjust the plan as needed. That way the work reflects the person's preferences and the issues they want to address.

Online therapy offers practical benefits such as fitting sessions around work and caring commitments and reducing travel time. Video calls let people use visual cues and shared screen resources, phone sessions need less bandwidth and can be easier to fit into a shorter break, and live chat or text-based messaging allows for brief check-ins or written reflection between sessions. These options help make therapy more flexible and accessible for different routines and needs.