Linda Mather (nee Spencer), BACP

Linda Mather (nee Spencer) is a psychotherapist with 26 years of experience. She is also a trainer, a clinical supervisor, and an author of counselling and self-help books. Linda uses a person-focused style that aims to make conversations straightforward and purposeful for people seeking help.

Her work is integrative, drawing on several well-established approaches so she can match methods to each person's needs. Sessions are tailored to what someone brings: practical strategies, reflective discussion, or a mix of both. Linda aims to build an open, understanding relationship where people feel heard and respected.

She has helped people with many concerns over her career, including stress, anxiety, addictions, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, eating difficulties, anger, self-esteem, career worries, and relationship matters. Additional focus areas include adoption and foster care, caregiving stress, chronic illness, autism and Asperger syndrome, and attachment-related issues. She also works with people dealing with bipolar difficulties, compassion fatigue, and parenting-related strain.

Linda blends cognitive and emotional approaches so conversations lead to clearer thinking and calmer responses. She offers practical tools for coping, communication, and emotional regulation alongside reflective work about patterns and relationships. The aim is to help people manage current problems and build skills for the future.

Her style is warm and supportive, with an emphasis on collaboration. People can expect a steady, respectful guide who will help them take the first steps, try new ways of coping, and review progress as therapy continues.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages people to notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them, and to clarify what matters most so small actions can add up to change. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on spotting unhelpful thinking and testing new behaviours to reduce distress and improve daily functioning. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how past relationships shape current patterns and helps people develop different ways of relating and feeling safer in connections.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and what has or has not helped before, then suggest ways forward. This is a collaborative process and plans are reviewed as therapy progresses to make sure the approach fits the person's needs.

Online sessions can be held by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited, live chat suits shorter check-ins or people who prefer writing, and messaging lets people share thoughts between sessions. These options offer flexibility for different schedules, quieter surroundings, and practical access when travelling or working away from home.