Joanna Cottrell, BACP

Joanna Cottrell is a United Kingdom based therapist with eight years of applied counselling experience and membership of the BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, a recognised professional body for counsellors in the UK. She supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, motivation and self-esteem concerns, and she brings experience working with relationship and career difficulties as well as a wide range of other challenges including trauma, grief, ADHD and addictions.

Joanna combines a warm, client-centered stance with practical, evidence-informed techniques to help clients build coping skills, clarify goals and restore a sense of agency. She uses approaches that draw on cognitive behavioral ideas and solution-focused strategies, alongside motivational discussion when change feels hard to start, adapting methods to suit each person’s priorities and pace.

Her practice emphasizes an open, nonjudgmental space where thoughts and feelings can be explored safely. Joanna recognises that seeking change takes courage and she aims to support and empower people through the steps that lead to a more fulfilling life, offering steady guidance while respecting each client’s autonomy and resilience.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Joanna draws on client-centered therapy to create a respectful, accepting space where a person’s own goals guide the work - this approach focuses on listening, empathy and helping clients discover their own solutions to issues such as low confidence, relationship strain and life transitions. She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which explores links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and offers practical strategies for managing anxiety, depression and stress. Motivational Interviewing is another tool Joanna employs to help people strengthen their own motivation for change, especially when facing ambivalence around issues like addiction, lifestyle shifts or career moves.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process and Joanna works collaboratively with each person to select methods that match their needs, goals and preferences. She adjusts pace and techniques as progress unfolds so clients remain involved in decisions about their care.

Online therapy with Joanna is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and communication styles. These options make it easier to attend sessions from home, balance therapy with work or family commitments, and maintain continuity of support during life changes while working with registered professionals and therapists who tailor care to individual circumstances.