Heli Annika Giles, BACP

Heli Annika Giles is a BACP-registered counsellor based in the United Kingdom. She works in a person-centred way and draws on a mixture of approaches to meet what each person needs. She speaks English and Finnish and aims to make first contact feel manageable and respectful.

Annika keeps sessions simple and direct. She listens first and helps people name what is most troubling them. Together they set small, achievable goals and review progress along the way. She encourages practical steps as well as space to notice feelings.

She often helps people who are juggling stress, anxiety or work pressures. Relationship worries, low self-esteem and life changes are common themes she addresses. She also supports people affected by trauma, grief and issues around intimacy.

Annika uses tools from approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alongside attachment-focused work and a client-centred stance. This mix lets her tailor sessions to someone’s particular situation and preferences. She aims to make ideas usable in everyday life.

Many clients talk about feeling stuck, overwhelmed or disconnected. Annika helps them understand where those feelings come from and builds coping skills to manage daily triggers. Her aim is to help people feel more like themselves again and to find clearer ways forward.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people notice thoughts and feelings without being led by them, and then take values-based actions. It suits issues like anxiety, low mood and life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at thought and behaviour patterns and teaches practical techniques to reduce worry and build new routines. This approach often helps with stress, panic and unhelpful thinking. Attachment-Based Therapy pays attention to how early relationships shape current patterns and helps people understand connection, boundaries and intimacy problems.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk about different methods and try things out with the client. Together they will choose what feels most useful based on the client’s goals, life situation and preferences.

Online therapy offers practical advantages. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when travel or timing is difficult. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be easier during a busy day. Live chat and text messaging let people check in between sessions or choose a shorter, written way to reflect. These options make it simpler to fit counselling into work, study or family routines while still using the chosen therapeutic approaches.