Alison Preston, BACP

Alison Preston helps people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, low mood, grief and anger. She also supports those struggling with relationships, sleep or eating difficulties, low self-esteem and big life changes. Alison works with each person to understand what feels most pressing right now and what small steps might help.

Alison uses straightforward, respectful conversation to help people make sense of their feelings. She draws on client-centred ways of working to put the person’s experience first. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, mindfulness and solution-focused techniques are used when they fit the situation and the person’s goals.

Sessions are paced to suit the individual. Sometimes the work focuses on changing unhelpful thinking or behaviour. Other times the emphasis is on noticing emotions and how they show up in daily life. She also explores past patterns with psychodynamic ideas when that helps people gain clarity.

Alison has eight years of professional experience and is registered with BACP, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. That background informs a gentle and practical approach to problems that can feel overwhelming.

Her style is warm and non-judgemental. She aims to make the first steps easier by listening closely and helping people find manageable ways forward. People are encouraged to set the pace and shape the work around their own needs.

How Alison uses talking therapies online

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and following the persons lead to build understanding and self-awareness. It helps when someone needs an open, non-judgemental space to talk through feelings and choices.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings and actions interact and teaches practical ways to change patterns that cause distress. It is often used for anxiety, low mood, sleep problems and unhelpful habits.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Alison will talk with each person about goals and preferences and then try methods together to see what fits best. The process is collaborative and adaptable as needs change.

Online sessions give flexibility to fit therapy around life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when that is helpful, phone sessions are useful when bandwidth is limited, and live chat or text messaging can suit quick check-ins or people who prefer writing. These options make it easier to keep appointments, manage interruptions and try therapy without travel.