Paula Clifton, BACP

Paula Clifton offers calm, straightforward support for people feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety or big life changes. She helps with grief, low self-esteem, sleep and eating concerns, and the strain that comes with work, caregiving or illness. Paula meets each person with patience and a non-judgemental attitude to make starting therapy easier.

She uses practical talking and problem-solving to help people manage day-to-day difficulties. Sessions focus on clear goals, small steps and tools people can try between meetings. Paula draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and Client-Centred Therapy to keep the conversation focused on the person’s experience.

Hypnotherapy is also part of her approach when gentle suggestion and focused relaxation are appropriate for issues such as sleep or anxiety. Paula has three years of clinical experience and holds BACP accreditation, which is recorded as BACP.

Paula works with a wide range of concerns including relationship strain, parenting stress, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, career worries and compassion fatigue. She also addresses more specific areas such as adoption and foster care, body image, chronic pain and ageing-related matters.

Sessions are offered in English and can be arranged across the UK and internationally. The aim is simple: a clear, steady conversation that helps people feel less stuck and better able to cope with the next steps in life.

Approaches that suit online sessions

Client-Centred Therapy places the person at the heart of the conversation. The counsellor listens closely and follows what matters most to the client, helping them find their own ways forward. This approach supports people coping with grief, relationship strain and low self-esteem.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions. It uses clear exercises and practical strategies to reduce anxiety, improve sleep and change unhelpful patterns. CBT works well for people who want structured tools to use between sessions.

Hypnotherapy involves guided relaxation and focused attention to help with issues like sleep difficulties or persistent anxiety. When used alongside talking therapy it can support changes in habits and reactions.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the client to decide which methods match their goals, preferences and daily life. That plan can change as progress is made and new priorities emerge.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls let people read non-verbal cues and use a conversational session. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or for shorter check-ins. Live chat or text-based messaging can fit into a busy day and make it easier to keep a steady rhythm between appointments. Registered or accredited professionals deliver these formats so people can choose what fits their routine and needs.