Deborah Gornall, BACP

Deborah Gornall welcomes people who feel overwhelmed, stuck or unsure where to begin. She writes in a warm and straightforward way and aims to make the first steps into therapy feel manageable. Deborah works in English and sees clients across the United Kingdom and internationally. She holds BACP registration and has six years of practice experience.

Deborah uses a client-centred approach that places the person's own goals at the centre of the work. This means sessions often begin by listening closely to what matters most to the client and building on their strengths. She also draws on cognitive behavioural therapy, which looks at how thoughts, feelings and behaviours are linked and uses practical strategies to change unhelpful patterns.

People bring many concerns to sessions, including anxiety, stress, depression, grief, relationship difficulties, addictions and issues related to trauma or sexual assault. Deborah also offers support for more specific problems such as hoarding, obsessive-compulsive patterns, jealousy, phobias, seasonal affective disorder and self-harm. She adapts the approach to the concern presented and to the person's pace.

In sessions Deborah aims to be warm, non-judgemental and genuine. She emphasises collaboration and helps clients set clear, manageable goals. Practical techniques and reflective conversation are used together so clients can try things between sessions.

Therapy is offered through a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time. Prospective clients start by completing a short matching questionnaire and then schedule sessions according to availability. Deborah follows the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy code of ethics in her practice.

How Deborah’s approaches work online

Deborah uses client-centred work to prioritise the person's own goals and perspective. This approach involves listening carefully and helping people explore what matters to them, which can be especially useful for grief, relationship concerns and low self-esteem. Cognitive behavioural therapy focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings and actions and offers step-by-step techniques to reduce anxiety, manage mood and change unhelpful habits.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Deborah will talk through options with each person and choose techniques that match their needs, goals and preferences. This is a collaborative process where the person helps shape what happens in sessions and what is tried between meetings.

Online therapy gives practical flexibility. Video calls let people see non-verbal cues and run longer sessions, while phone sessions need less bandwidth and can fit into a break at work. Live chat and text messaging are useful for shorter check-ins and for people who prefer typing to speaking. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life while still working with registered or accredited professionals.