Michelle Lumley, BACP

Michelle Lumley is a BACP counsellor based in the United Kingdom. She offers online sessions and aims to make the first steps into counselling straightforward and manageable. Michelle keeps information short and clear to help people decide if she might be a good fit.

She trained to work in a humanistic, client-centred way that focuses on building a trusting relationship. Listening, asking curious questions and regular check-ins are part of how she works. Sessions can be tailored to what feels most useful, whether short-term or longer work is needed.

Michelle has three years of experience supporting people with stress, anxiety and depression. She also helps with grief, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy concerns, and challenges around parenting and family dynamics. Additional areas she focuses on include attention differences such as ADHD, body image, chronic illness and carer stress.

Her practice uses a blend of approaches. She draws on attachment-based ideas, cognitive behavioural techniques and narrative work, plus mindfulness and creative methods such as reflective writing and simple art materials. These options are chosen to match each person’s needs rather than following a single formula.

People who prefer a calm, patient and exploratory style may find her approach helpful. Michelle keeps sessions practical and people-focused, with agreed goals and regular reviews to check progress. Online formats include video, phone, live chat and text messaging to suit different schedules and preferences.

How these approaches work online

Attachment-based work looks at how early connections shape current relationships and emotional patterns. Online sessions can help explore attachment themes and build more reliable ways of relating to others.

Client-centred therapy focuses on a respectful, non-judgemental relationship where the person leads the pace. This approach suits people who need time to find words for difficult feelings, and it translates well to video or phone conversations.

Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, uses practical steps to notice unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviours. It is often useful for anxiety, low mood and stress and can include short exercises between sessions to test what works.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals, needs and preferences and then suggest which methods to try. This is a collaborative process and adjustments are made as therapy progresses.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face interaction, phone sessions use less bandwidth, and text or live chat can suit quick check-ins or people who prefer writing. These options make it easier to fit counselling around work, caregiving or other commitments and help people maintain continuity when schedules change.