Muriel Tafts, BACP

Muriel Tafts is a counsellor with a Foundation Degree in Integrated Counselling that covered person-centred, cognitive behavioural, and psychodynamic approaches. She combines this formal training with additional courses in the neuroscience of ADHD and ASD, dementia, addiction, depression, and psychosis, as well as focused work on issues such as perfectionism, OCD, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide prevention. Muriel is also undertaking a MSc in Workplace Health and Wellbeing, reflecting her interest in career and workplace challenges.

Her experience includes six years of part-time practice - two years as a placement while studying and four years post-qualification - supporting people with stress, anxiety, low mood, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, life stage changes, family problems, and career concerns. She aims to create an open, non-judgmental space where people can explore feelings and patterns, encouraging curiosity about how thoughts, emotions, and behaviours interact. Muriel works collaboratively to identify root causes and practical next steps, offering information about psychological concepts and suggesting exercises or approaches to try between sessions. Goals for counselling are typically agreed within the first three meetings and reviewed approximately every four weeks to track progress.

Muriel is registered with BACP, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. She believes that change is possible and that, with support and practice, people can find the courage and tools to move forward.

Approaches for online therapy and therapeutic work

Muriel draws on client-centred therapy, an approach that focuses on the person’s own experience and priorities - the therapist offers empathic listening and supports the client to explore feelings and build self-understanding, which can be helpful for issues like low self-esteem, guilt, shame, and life direction. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is used to identify unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns and to develop practical strategies and experiments to reduce anxiety, manage stress, and address mood difficulties. Psychodynamic therapy helps uncover how past relationships and early patterns influence present behaviour and emotional responses, making it useful for attachment difficulties, relationship problems, and recurring relational patterns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Muriel collaborates with each person to determine which methods feel most helpful based on their needs, goals, and preferences, and she adjusts the plan as progress is reviewed. This collaborative stance helps clients feel involved and supported in shaping their therapy.

Online therapy with Muriel is available by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for people with busy schedules, caregiving responsibilities, or mobility limits. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care, access support from home, and fit sessions around work or family life while working with a registered professional.