Debra "Debs" Barritt, BACP

Debra "Debs" Barritt is a compassionate UK counsellor who brings lived experience and professional training to her work. She trained as a person-centred counsellor and places community at the heart of her practice, enjoying the connection that comes from meeting new people and supporting them through difficult times. Her early life was marked by challenges, including time in a boarding school for children described as maladjusted, and those experiences shaped a deep desire to give back and to help others find resilience.

Debra began her journey into helping professions with part-time youth work studies at Brunel University and later developed her counselling skills in the bereavement service at St Michael's Hospice in Basingstoke. Sitting with people at the end of life left a lasting impression - she describes those moments of presence, such as holding a hand, as profoundly meaningful and believes such simple acts can bring comfort.

She balances counselling for the platform with running a private practice called Adapt Counselling Haverhill and now lives in Haverhill while retaining ties to Basingstoke. Debra brings extensive experience supporting people through grief and loss and helps clients learn to hold their loved ones in their hearts while continuing to move forward. She is a member of the BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - indicating recognised professional standing in the UK. Debra presents herself as a survivor who offers hope and practical support to those navigating hardship, and she invites people to get in touch to learn more about how she can help.

Therapeutic approaches and online support

Debra draws on person-centred or Client-Centred Therapy, which focuses on meeting clients where they are, offering empathy and unconditional positive regard so individuals can explore their feelings and build self-understanding. This approach is often helpful for those facing grief, relationship struggles, low self-esteem, or life transitions.

She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - CBT - which helps clients identify unhelpful thinking patterns and develop practical skills to manage stress, anxiety, low mood, and behavioural challenges. CBT offers structured tools for changing thoughts and behaviours that contribute to emotional distress.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey and Debra takes a collaborative stance. She works with clients to explore their needs, goals, and preferences and will adapt methods or combine approaches so therapy fits each person’s circumstances.

Online therapy with Debra is delivered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing practical flexibility for busy schedules, mobility limitations, or geographic distance. These formats allow registered professionals and therapists to offer consistent, accessible support while giving clients more options to engage in therapy in ways that suit their lives.