Michelle Copley, BACP

Michelle Copley is an integrative counsellor with 12 years of clinical experience who works with people facing a wide range of difficulties, including trauma such as PTSD, grief, relationship challenges, opioid and alcohol addiction, parenting concerns, self-harm and suicidal feelings, depression and anxiety. She combines several therapeutic methods to tailor a personalised plan that fits each person’s situation and goals.

Her style is engaging and collaborative, inviting open conversation to build insight and momentum for change. She uses a psycho-educational approach to help people understand the therapies being used, teaching practical skills and perspectives that can be applied beyond sessions. Michelle aims to make starting counselling as straightforward as possible and believes everyone deserves respect and to be heard during times of need.

As an integrative practitioner she draws on a range of techniques and selects the most suitable ones for each client, commonly using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Transactional Analysis and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy among other evidence-informed approaches. She is registered with the BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, which recognises professional training and practice standards.

Michelle offers only online work, finding that people appreciate the convenience of taking part from familiar surroundings and avoiding travel time and costs. At the beginning of each counselling journey she extends a helping hand to provide support, guidance and practical steps towards the outcomes people want to achieve.

Approaches and benefits of online therapeutic work

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on creating a respectful, non-judgemental space where the person is listened to and supported to explore their own feelings and choices. This approach helps with issues like low self-esteem, relationship difficulties and coping with life changes by prioritising the person’s perspective and pace.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) examines how thoughts, feelings and behaviours interact and offers practical strategies to change unhelpful patterns. It is commonly used for anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties and stress management. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) combines skills training in emotion regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness, making it useful for intense emotions, self-harm behaviour and relationship conflicts.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Michelle works collaboratively with people to identify goals, test different methods and agree a personalised plan that fits their needs, preferences and life circumstances.

Online therapy by video, phone, live chat or text-based messaging offers flexibility for scheduling and lets people join sessions from familiar surroundings. Registered professionals and therapists adapt techniques to these formats so that therapeutic work remains practical and accessible while fitting around everyday commitments.