Barry Golten, BACP

Barry Golten helps people facing low self-esteem, anxiety, stress and addiction. He also supports those dealing with grief, trauma, relationship and intimacy issues, career worries, ADHD and questions of identity and belonging. Barry is a counsellor with ten years' experience and holds BACP accreditation. Barry draws on a mix of ideas from different models to suit each person. He works in a way that invites clients to welcome all parts of themselves, and to notice how past relationships shape present behaviour. He also uses solution-focused methods that help people spot small changes that lead to clearer direction. Sessions tend to be straightforward and practical. Barry will listen closely, help you identify small, achievable goals and try techniques together that can reduce anxiety and build self-esteem. He often uses conversations to uncover patterns like attachment or abandonment that make life harder, then looks for steps to break those patterns. People can expect an attentive, steady therapeutic relationship. Barry aims to be fully present in sessions and to create space for exploration, hope and possibility. He treats issues such as compassion fatigue, fatherhood concerns, non-monogamous relationship dynamics and life purpose with an open, non-judgemental stance. His background includes long experience in the charity sector and later work delivering training in trauma, attachment and resilience. That mix of front-line practice and training informs a practical, empathetic style focused on what helps now and what can change next.

How Internal Family Systems and online sessions work together

Internal Family Systems (IFS) invites people to gently meet different parts of themselves - the worried, the critical, the protective parts - and listen to what each part needs. This approach helps with issues like low self-esteem, trauma responses, shame and difficulty managing emotions by giving those parts a voice and reducing internal conflict.

Barry also draws on solution-focused ideas that look for small, practical steps that move life in a better direction quickly. That method is useful for people who want clear goals, short-term change and a focus on strengths rather than endless problem analysis.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk through what feels most useful based on a person's goals, current struggles and preferences. That collaborative process makes it easier to try something out and adjust if it does not fit.

Online formats offer practical flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face engagement across distances, phone sessions suit people who prefer not to be on camera, live chat can be used for brief check-ins, and text-based messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family and travel while keeping the focus on progress and accessibility.