Hal Thompson, BACP

Hal Thompson acknowledges the courage it takes to seek support and aims to create a welcoming, thoughtful space for that work. He is an accredited member of the BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - and holds a Master’s degree in psychodynamic counselling and psychotherapy from Birkbeck, University of London, together with a BA in psychology from the University of Sussex. He brings over ten years of professional experience in mental health across public and private sectors, and earlier professional experience in the arts and education informs his relational and creative approach.

At the heart of his practice is psychodynamic work, exploring how past experiences and habitual coping patterns continue to shape present life, often below conscious awareness. He treats each person’s process as unique and aims to co-create a therapeutic pathway in which different parts of the self can be invited, validated, and, when needed, changed. Where helpful, he integrates practical methods from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and Internal Family Systems (IFS) to address immediate symptoms and internal parts work alongside deeper exploration.

He works with gentle curiosity and compassion, supporting clients to understand sources of being stuck and to discover routes toward greater self-understanding, resilience, and wellbeing. His areas of interest include stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, and self-esteem, with additional focus on attachment, dissociation, guilt and shame, and men's issues among others.

Psychodynamic and Integrative Approaches for Online Therapy

Hal Thompson’s work is grounded in psychodynamic therapy, which explores how early experiences and unconscious patterns influence present behaviour and relationships. This approach helps people uncover recurring themes and emotional patterns that contribute to stress, low self-esteem, or relationship difficulties.

He also draws on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques to offer practical tools for managing anxiety, panic, intrusive thoughts, and compulsive behaviours, and uses Internal Family Systems (IFS) ideas to help clients understand and relate to different parts of themselves in a kinder, more curious way. These methods can be combined to address both immediate symptoms and deeper emotional patterns.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is a collaborative process. Hal works with clients to identify goals, preferences, and what feels most useful, adapting methods as therapy progresses so the work fits each person’s needs.

Online therapy offers flexibility and accessibility - sessions by video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging make it easier to fit therapy into varied schedules and to connect with registered professionals from different locations. For many people, this range of options supports ongoing engagement and steady progress in therapy.