Paul Cleland, BACP

Paul Cleland helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, low self-esteem or depression. He speaks plainly about small steps, and aims to make starting therapy feel manageable. Paul is a counsellor with 10 years of professional experience and holds BACP credentialing. He works in English and accepts clients from the United Kingdom and internationally.

Paul uses both body-focused and talk-based methods. He combines somatic work with Internal Family Systems to notice how feelings sit in the body and how different parts of a person relate to each other. Sessions focus on uncovering strengths that are already present and on practical ways to reduce emotional traffic in daily life.

In practice Paul guides people through compassionate inquiry. That means asking curious, gentle questions and inviting attention to sensations as well as thoughts. This approach is used to help untangle stuck feelings like grief, guilt, shame, anger or loneliness and to build self-compassion and self-love.

Paul supports people navigating relationship stress, life changes and compassion fatigue. He also works on forgiveness and on restoring confidence after hard experiences. Conversations are paced to the client, with tasks and reflections agreed together between sessions.

To begin Paul suggests a simple first step of matching and scheduling a session. He aims to create a clear plan that fits everyday routines and practical responsibilities so therapy can be carried out alongside life.

Using body-based and parts work in online therapy

Paul uses Somatic Therapy to bring attention to physical sensations that accompany emotions, helping people notice where tension or numbness sits and how it shifts. This can make feelings like anxiety, grief or anger easier to name and work with. Internal Family Systems encourages gentle dialogue between different parts of the self - for example a critical part and a frightened part - to reduce inner conflict and promote self-compassion.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Paul treats this as a collaborative process and will help clients choose methods that match their needs, goals and preferences. He explains options, tries techniques together, and adjusts the plan as sessions progress so the method fits the person rather than the other way around.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility: video calls allow in-depth conversation and visual attunement, phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth or camera use is difficult, and live chat or text-based messaging suit short check-ins or people who prefer writing. These formats make it simpler to fit therapy around work, caregiving or travel, and they let registered or accredited professionals offer consistent support across locations.