Michael Schmool, BACP

Michael Schmool helps people facing stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression and relationship difficulties. He also supports people dealing with grief, trauma and abuse, parenting strains, anger, career doubts and life changes. Michael is a BACP counsellor working from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy framework. He writes simply and listens carefully to what matters to each person.

Michael came to counselling after varied careers in advertising, media, publishing and photography. Those jobs placed him with many different kinds of people across two continents. That background shapes a relaxed, down-to-earth manner in sessions. He aims to make conversations feel natural rather than clinical.

Sessions focus on creating space to reflect. Michael offers a calm, non-judgemental setting where people can name what is troubling them. He helps clients understand why they feel a certain way and what patterns are keeping them stuck. The goal is clearer self-awareness and practical steps to move forward.

Michael describes himself as kind, compassionate and easy-going. He draws on person-centred, humanistic ideas to prioritise the client’s experience and help people feel accepted. Over four years of practice he has worked with a wide range of concerns listed above.

People meet him to talk through commitment worries, communication problems, feelings of emptiness, abandonment or codependency, fatherhood issues, infidelity and the pain of separation. He encourages small, manageable changes and offers steady support while clients explore what they want next.

How his approaches work online and in sessions

Michael uses person-centred, humanistic ideas that focus on listening and acceptance. This approach centres on the client’s experience, helping people feel understood and more able to talk about sensitive issues like grief, shame or relationship worries.

He also draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques that aim to increase self-awareness and change unhelpful patterns. These approaches help people identify emotions, track how past experiences affect present choices, and try small behavioural steps to test new ways of coping.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is a shared process. Michael will work with each person to choose methods that match their needs, goals and preferences. He encourages clients to give feedback so the work can be adjusted as understanding grows.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation, phone sessions suit those with limited bandwidth, and messaging or chat can fit quick check-ins or people who prefer not to be on camera. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family and travel commitments.