Carly Donovan, BACP

Carly Donovan helps people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, relationship and intimacy concerns, parenting pressures, self‑esteem and career worries. She works with people facing obsessive thoughts, panic attacks, postpartum low mood, social anxiety and phobias. Carly’s first aim is to make it easier to start talking and to feel heard.

Carly uses a person-centred way of working that keeps the conversation focused on what matters to each individual. That means sessions follow the client's pace and priorities while building practical ways to manage difficult feelings. She also draws on existential ideas to look at meaning, values and choices when life feels stuck.

Sessions involve listening, gentle questioning and helping people find steps they can try between meetings. Carly adapts the approach for issues such as communication problems, commitment worries, jealousy, infidelity and the emotional aftermath of domestic violence. She also supports people dealing with autism or Asperger Syndrome who want help with relationships or everyday stresses.

Carly has three years of professional experience and holds BACP accreditation, which is recorded as BACP. She practises in the United Kingdom and works in English. Practical arrangements such as session format and scheduling are agreed with each person she sees.

People who want to begin are asked to complete a short questionnaire so Carly can match therapy to their situation. From there she and the client set goals and plan sessions that suit the person’s life and availability.

How client-centred and existential work translate online

Carly practises client-centred therapy, which puts the person's own concerns and pace at the heart of each session. This approach focuses on listening, reflecting and helping people make small changes that feel doable. It is useful for anxiety, low self-esteem and relationship worries.

She also uses existential therapy, which looks at values, meaning and life choices when someone feels stuck or uncertain. That way of working can help with career crossroads, commitment questions and deeper doubts about direction in life.

Finding the right approach is part of the process and Carly works collaboratively to decide what fits best. She will discuss goals, preferences and practical needs, then adapt the style as therapy progresses so the work stays relevant to the person's life.

Online therapy is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging to give flexibility. Video calls let people use visual cues during conversation, phone work can be a lighter option when bandwidth is limited, and messaging supports short check-ins or ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, childcare and other commitments while keeping continuity of care.