Catherine Hirst, BACP

Catherine Hirst brings a person-centred outlook to therapy, rooted in empathy and respectful listening. She is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP, and draws on three years of practice to help people tackle stress, anxiety and life transitions.

Catherine aims to create a warm, approachable space where people can talk through difficult feelings. She focuses on understanding each person’s experience before working together on what might help next. The therapeutic relationship is central to how she works and she believes connection enables change.

Her work covers concerns such as low self-esteem, workplace pressures and coping with career changes. She also supports people facing relationship breakdown, communication problems and the particular stresses of blended family life. Other areas she addresses include loneliness, prejudice and discrimination, and issues linked to infidelity and jealousy.

Catherine describes her practice as integrative. That means she adapts methods to suit each individual rather than using one fixed style. Sessions are shaped by a person’s needs, their goals and what feels most helpful in the moment.

She brings elements of her own life experience into her counselling perspective, which informs a patient and steady approach. People looking for calm, attentive support for everyday pressures and significant life changes may find her style reassuring.

How approaches translate to online therapy

Person-centred counselling focuses on empathic listening and being fully present with a person. It involves reflecting feelings, valuing a person’s perspective and offering a non-judgemental space to talk. This approach can help with anxiety, low mood and decisions that come with life changes.

An integrative style means the therapist borrows techniques from different evidence-based methods and tailors them to the individual. That might include practical coping strategies for stress or exercises to improve communication and self-esteem. Each choice aims to meet the client’s goals and suit their situation.

Deciding which approach to use is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss options, check what feels useful and adjust the plan as work progresses. Clients influence the pace and focus of sessions so the work reflects their priorities.

Online formats offer practical benefits. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues, while phone sessions can fit into a short lunch break and use less bandwidth. Live chat and text messaging work well for quick check-ins, written reflection or when people prefer not to be on camera. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, study and family commitments, while keeping the focus on the therapeutic relationship and goals.