Karen Bell, BACP

Karen Bell is a UK-based counsellor who prioritises the person behind the difficulties and aims to create a non-judgemental space where feelings and experiences can be explored. She works from a person-centred perspective, which places the client’s needs and priorities at the heart of the work and values empathy, respect, and collaboration. Karen is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), the professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists in the UK.

Over a career spanning 18 years, Karen has worked in a variety of settings that have shaped her specialist skills. Her background includes counselling in a GP surgery, trauma work with an organisation supporting people who have experienced self-harm, suicidal crisis and child sexual abuse, and occupational health counselling for Northumbria Police with a focus on trauma and employee assistance work. These roles have contributed to extensive experience addressing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, bereavement and other losses.

Karen supports people facing a wide range of concerns including addiction, trauma and abuse, eating and sleeping problems, parenting and family issues, LGBT matters, ADHD and neurodiversity, grief, and intimacy-related challenges. She also works with those affected by narcissistic abuse and gaslighting, affirming that such experiences are real and valid. Karen welcomes people of all genders, sexualities, cultures and religions and invites anyone whose issue is not listed to get in touch. She offers counselling by video, phone and live chat, and encourages the first step toward change when someone is ready. This is not an emergency service; if immediate help is required, please contact local emergency services or crisis lines.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Karen integrates approaches such as attachment-based therapy, client-centered therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to tailor support to each person's needs. Attachment-based therapy explores how early relationships shape current patterns and can be helpful for people struggling with trust, abandonment or intimacy-related issues. Client-centred therapy focuses on empathic listening and the client’s own goals, offering a respectful, non-directive environment for exploring emotions and choices. CBT is a structured approach that helps identify and adjust unhelpful thoughts and behaviours, which can be useful for anxiety, depression and stress-related problems.

Finding the best approach is a collaborative process. Karen works with clients to understand their goals, preferences and life circumstances and adapts methods over time so the therapy fits the person rather than the other way around.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it easier to access regular support from a registered professional without the need to travel, and they allow people to choose the mode of communication that feels most effective for them.