Gary Stanley, BACP

Gary Stanley offers straightforward support for people feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety or life changes. He works with individuals facing depression, addiction concerns, low self-esteem and problems with sleep or anger. His approach aims to help people find practical ways to move forward and regain control.

He views each person as the expert on their own story and looks for strengths to build on. Sessions focus on clear, manageable steps rather than jargon. The therapist encourages gentle challenge alongside practical tasks to help change patterns that feel stuck.

Gary has eight years of experience working with issues such as grief, trauma and intimacy-related concerns. He also supports people dealing with parental strain, career stress and compassion fatigue. Additional areas he helps with include hoarding, jealousy, obsessive-compulsive difficulties, paranoia and specific phobias.

Sessions can address relationship and family concerns from the perspective of an individual’s experience. Gary emphasises listening first, then collaborating on goals and techniques that fit daily life. Expect a calm, direct style and regular check-ins on progress.

He is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP. Sessions are offered in English and take place online using a range of formats. To begin, people complete a short questionnaire to match with a therapist and then schedule sessions according to availability.

How evidence-based approaches work online

Evidence-based therapeutic techniques focus on practical, proven ways to change patterns that cause distress. One common approach emphasises identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing them against real-life evidence to reduce anxiety and low mood. This method helps people notice thinking traps and try alternative ways of responding.

Another approach concentrates on behaviour change through small, achievable steps. It is useful for problems like low motivation, sleeping difficulties, addictions and some compulsive behaviours. The work breaks goals into short tasks and reviews what helps or gets in the way.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will work together with each person to choose methods that match their goals, needs and preferences. That means starting with listening, setting clear aims and adapting techniques as progress is reviewed.

Online sessions use video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging to offer flexibility. Video is useful for a fuller conversational experience, while phone calls suit shorter check-ins or times with limited bandwidth. Messaging and live chat can fit around busy days and let people reflect between posts. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, family life and other commitments.