Gareth Blake, BACP

Gareth Blake is a BACP counsellor who focuses on emotion-focused and relational work. He aims to make sessions feel genuine rather than clinical. Gareth listens for what feels alive in the moment and helps people use those feelings as a guide to change.

He blends a few different ways of working so therapy can fit the person in front of him. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy helps map and shift unhelpful thinking patterns. Emotionally-Focused Therapy supports people to notice and use their feelings to inform decisions. Psychodynamic ideas can help uncover patterns that run beneath current struggles.

Gareth works with issues such as stress, anxiety, depression and difficult life changes. He also helps people facing grief, relationship and intimacy-related concerns, addiction, trauma and abuse, and problems with sleep or anger. Other areas he supports include self-esteem, career questions, sexuality and problems linked to ageing.

He pays attention to how someone’s brain and history shape the way they cope. Neurodivergence, trauma histories and complex presentations are described as differences to be worked with rather than faults. Sessions aim to balance feeling and action, so people leave with practical steps as well as clearer emotional understanding.

Gareth offers sessions by video call, phone, live chat and text-based messaging. He has five years of professional experience and practises in the United Kingdom. He accepts clients who live outside the UK and works in English.

Therapeutic approaches and online support

Gareth commonly blends emotion-focused work and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Emotion-focused work helps people notice what they are feeling and use those feelings to understand relationships and choices. It can be useful for grief, intimacy issues and trauma-related reactions. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy looks at how thoughts and behaviours feed each other and gives practical steps to reduce anxiety, improve mood and change unhelpful habits.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Gareth works collaboratively to decide which methods suit each person's needs and goals. He will try different ways of working and adapt techniques so they make sense for how you think and feel.

Online therapy is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to make work easier to fit into life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when that helps. Phone sessions can be useful when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging are good for people who prefer writing or need flexible, ongoing contact. These options help people access care from different places and at different times, while keeping the focus on practical progress.