Catherine Thomson, BACP

Catherine Thomson welcomes people who are feeling stuck, overwhelmed or unsure how to move forward. She goes by Kate and works in a warm, straightforward way that helps people talk through stress, anxiety, grief and relationship difficulties. Kate explains things plainly and offers tools you can try between sessions.

She uses a mix of talking and practical activities to suit each person. That might include mindfulness, narrative techniques, vision boards, letter writing or goal-setting. Sessions are shaped around what helps you feel understood and able to make changes.

Kate holds a BACP accreditation, which she maintained while working across charities and private care. Her five years as a counsellor include roles with Mind, Action for Carers, Bupa and her own private practice. This has given her experience with many different backgrounds and life situations.

Her approach is non-judgemental, flexible and person-centred. She listens, reflects and helps people identify small steps they can take to manage difficult feelings and behaviours. The aim is to support clearer thinking, steadier moods and better day-to-day coping.

People often come for help with grief, parenting strain, addiction, sleeping problems, low self-esteem, career stress and trauma. Kate also works with issues such as attachment-related worries, body image, eating problems and compassion fatigue. She focuses on practical ways to reduce distress and build resilience.

Approaches that suit online counselling

Catherine commonly draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy when working online. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting ruled by them, and it supports clearer action based on personal values. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and testing new behaviours to reduce anxiety, low mood and unhelpful patterns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and practical needs to choose techniques that fit. This is a collaborative process and methods can be adapted over time if something is not working.

Online sessions can be arranged as video calls, phone conversations, live chat or text-based messaging. Video works well for face-to-face style conversation and visual exercises. Phone sessions are handy when bandwidth is limited or you prefer not to be on camera. Live chat and messaging suit shorter check-ins or ongoing support between longer appointments. Overall, online therapy offers flexibility so people can fit counselling around work, family and other commitments.