Debra Hayman, BACP

Debra Hayman offers conversational, person-focused therapy that begins with listening. She creates a calm space where people can talk about stress, anxiety, addictions, grief and relationship concerns without fear of judgement. Debra is BACP accredited and has eight years of professional experience in the United Kingdom.

Her work often centres on relationship difficulties, low self-esteem and trauma. She also has substantial experience supporting people affected by drug and alcohol misuse and related issues. That background means she is used to working with complex situations that combine mental health, substance use and interpersonal problems.

Debra adapts her approach to what each person needs. She draws on client-centred therapy to follow the person’s lead, cognitive behavioural therapy to identify and change unhelpful thinking, and emotionally-focused methods to look at feelings in relationships. Mindfulness and existential ideas also appear when they help someone reflect on values and everyday choices.

Sessions are practical and plainspoken. Conversations aim to make feelings easier to understand and to find small changes that make life steadier. People can expect a calm, steady presence and a focus on real-world next steps rather than abstract theory.

Debra works with adults in the UK and accepts international clients in English. She encourages anyone who is unsure about starting to complete a short matching questionnaire and arrange a first appointment to see if the fit feels right.

How therapeutic approaches work online

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and following what matters to the person. Online this means sessions that let the person lead conversations about relationships, self esteem and everyday stress. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at patterns of thinking and behaviour. In an online session CBT can be used to spot unhelpful thoughts, try small experiments and plan practical steps between meetings. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) helps people understand emotions in relationships and improve how they connect with others; online EFT can guide conversations about feelings and how they affect interactions.

Finding the best approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and what feels most useful, then try methods that fit the person’s situation. This is a collaborative process and approaches can be adjusted as progress is made.

Online formats offer flexibility. Video calls let people see one another and use worksheets or screen sharing during sessions. Phone sessions can be useful when a quieter, lower-bandwidth check-in is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging suit shorter updates, check-ins between sessions or people who prefer writing. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family and travel commitments while keeping the focus on practical change.