Peter Coffey, BACP

Peter Coffey is a counsellor based in New Hampshire with six years of clinical experience. They work mainly with people who identify as LGBT and with those facing anxiety, depression, stress, grief, anger, relationship problems and ADHD. Peter is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns.

Peter listens first. Sessions focus on helping people name their feelings and make sense of what is happening. He will suggest simple models and ways of thinking that can make problems clearer and easier to deal with.

People come with different goals. Some want to move past a problem. Others want to accept and live with difficult feelings. Peter does not give medical diagnoses or push people to act against their will.

He also works with clients who are autistic or have Asperger syndrome, and with people exploring gender identity or sexuality. He supports discussions about BDSM, kink, polyamory and non-monogamous relationships when those topics are important to the person in therapy.

Peter describes his approach as client-centred therapy, which means sessions are built around what the person wants to focus on. He encourages feedback, and asks clients to speak up when something in the session does not feel right.

If someone has had negative therapy experiences before, Peter aims to rebuild trust through steady listening and respectful conversation. To begin, a person uses the platform Start Therapy button and completes a short matching questionnaire to schedule sessions.

How client-centred work translates to online therapy

Client-centred therapy focuses on listening and following the person's lead. The counsellor creates space for people to describe what matters to them, helps identify feelings and offers simple models to understand those feelings. This approach can help with anxiety, depression, relationship worries and identity questions.

When someone prefers a more structured way of working, the therapist will talk it through and adapt methods together. Deciding which approach fits best is a shared process based on the person's needs, goals and comfort level. The counsellor checks in regularly and invites feedback so the work can change as things evolve.

Online sessions make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when that matters. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can suit a shorter check-in. Live chat and text-based messaging support people who prefer writing or need flexible timing. These options increase accessibility and help people choose what works best for them.