Gemma Pattison, BACP

Gemma Pattison is a counsellor practising in the United Kingdom with eight years of professional experience. She holds BACP accreditation which reflects her commitment to professional standards. Gemma welcomes people who are nervous about starting therapy and aims to make the first steps feel manageable.

Gemma values the story each person brings and treats clients as the experts in their own lives. She offers a calm, non-judgemental space where people can talk through feelings and make sense of difficult experiences. Her manner is warm and straightforward to help people feel heard quickly.

In sessions Gemma draws on client-centred work alongside other approaches to suit the situation. She uses practical tools when helpful, including techniques from cognitive behavioural ideas and mindfulness, to address stress, anxiety, low mood and sleep problems. She also supports people dealing with trauma, bereavement, addictions and intimacy-related concerns.

Gemma has additional experience supporting those facing parenting pressures, family conflict, body image and career stress, and she can assist with neurodiversity-related issues such as autism and attention differences. She also works with people confronting long-term illness, caring responsibilities and ageing-related concerns.

Therapy with Gemma can include video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text messaging to suit someone’s routine. Sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time and price varies with location and therapist availability. To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a time that suits them.

How Gemma’s approaches work online

Gemma blends client-centred work with cognitive behavioural ideas and mindfulness techniques. Client-centred therapy focuses on listening without judgement and helping people find their own solutions; it is useful for building confidence and making sense of difficult feelings. Cognitive behavioural approaches look at patterns of thought and behaviour and offer practical strategies to reduce anxiety, improve sleep and manage low mood. Mindfulness offers simple exercises to increase present-moment awareness and reduce stress and reactivity.

Finding the right combination of methods is part of the process. Gemma works collaboratively to decide which approach suits someone’s goals and preferences. She will adapt tools and pacing based on what a person needs and how they respond over time.

Online sessions give practical flexibility. Video calls are suited to longer therapy conversations and reading non-verbal cues, while phone sessions use less bandwidth and can fit into a work break. Live chat and text-based messaging are helpful for shorter check-ins, ongoing reflections between sessions and people who prefer writing to speaking. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy routine and to keep momentum between meetings.