Alison French, BACP

Alison French works from a client-centred approach, offering a respectful and compassionate space for people dealing with stress, anxiety, relationship concerns and trauma. She is a BACP counsellor with seven years of experience and focuses on helping people build self-esteem and confidence. Her style is gentle and practical, aimed at helping people take small steps towards feeling better.

Alison tailors conversations and plans to each person’s needs. She treats the person as the expert in their life and listens for what matters most. This makes sessions feel collaborative and paced to the individual.

Her background includes trauma-focused methods alongside client-centred work, so she supports people who have experienced abuse or sexual assault. She also helps with guilt, shame, questions about life purpose and developing self-love. Practical tools such as breath awareness and body-focused noticing are offered when helpful.

Sessions mix talking with guided practices that help ground the body and notice internal signals. The goal is to increase a person's sense of choice and agency in everyday life. Alison aims to help people reconnect with strengths that are already present.

People can expect straightforward language and a calm presence in sessions. The focus is on clear, manageable steps rather than labels or jargon. Alison invites people to explore difficult feelings at a pace that feels safe and useful.

Client-centred and Trauma-Focused Support Online

Alison works from a client-centred perspective which places the person's experience at the heart of the work. This approach involves listening closely and following the person's lead so goals and pacing are set together. It is helpful for people wanting a supportive, non-judgemental space to understand their feelings and choices.

She also uses trauma-focused methods to help people process the impact of abuse and assault. These methods provide structured ways to address traumatic memories and their emotional effects while attending to how the body and mind respond. They can be useful for reducing the hold of past events on daily life.

Finding the right approach is treated as a collaborative process. The counsellor will discuss different ways of working and agree together what feels most useful based on needs, goals and preferences. Adapting methods over time is part of the plan so the work remains relevant and practical.

Online sessions are available by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging to increase flexibility. Video calls suit more in-depth conversation and visual connection, phone sessions work well for lower bandwidth or a shorter check-in, and chat or messaging can fit into busy days or provide ongoing written reflection. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family and travel commitments.