Olenka Hennessey, BACP

Olenka Hennessey offers a calm, collaborative space for people feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, low self-esteem or life change. She aims to help clients feel heard and less alone while they sort through difficult emotions and experiences. Her manner is warm and practical, with a focus on building trust and a good fit from the start.

Olenka uses an integrative approach that draws on client-centred methods and mindfulness. She encourages increased self-awareness and challenges unhelpful beliefs so people can make decisions that suit them. Sessions are shaped around each person's needs rather than a one-size-fits-all model.

Her clinical interests include depression, relationship and intimacy difficulties, grief, trauma and abuse, and issues around parenting, sleep and eating. She also supports people facing career pressures, compassion fatigue, and the stresses that can come with life transitions such as moving, becoming a parent, or hormonal changes.

Olenka has six years' experience and is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP. She works with people exploring attachment, abandonment and codependency concerns, as well as blended family and separation issues. Clients with ADHD, feelings of emptiness, or questions about life purpose may also find her approach helpful.

Therapy sessions aim to help people identify and name emotions, try different ways of coping, and build resilience for the future. The emphasis is on practical steps alongside reflective work so clients can make steady progress toward clearer goals.

How her approach translates to online therapy

Olenka blends client-centred work with mindfulness and motivational techniques to support people online. Client-centred therapy focuses on listening and understanding the person's perspective, helping them feel heard and respected as they talk through difficult feelings. Mindfulness therapy teaches gentle attention to thoughts and sensations, which can reduce rumination and help with anxiety and stress. Motivational interviewing helps people clarify what they want to change and strengthen their own reasons for making those changes.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Olenka will work with each person to decide which methods fit their concerns, goals and preferences. That means trying ideas together, adjusting the focus over time, and keeping the work practical and goal-oriented when needed.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text messaging. Video is useful for a fuller conversational exchange, while phone calls can be easier when bandwidth is limited or a quicker check-in is needed. Live chat and messaging suit shorter check-ins and ongoing support between sessions. These options offer flexibility for people juggling work, family or travel and make it simpler to maintain regular contact with a therapist.