Ruth Barrett, BACP

Ruth Barrett is a counsellor who aims to make starting therapy straightforward. She writes in a warm, direct way and offers time to listen without judgement. If you are feeling overwhelmed by loss, trauma, relationship difficulties or big life changes she can help you make sense of those feelings and find a way forward.

Ruth trained in person-centred counselling and holds a Master’s in Clinical Counselling. She is an Accredited Registered Member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists - BACP. She also has certification in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and combines those approaches to fit what each person needs.

Her background includes many years working in education with young people aged 11 to 18. That experience shaped her understanding of how childhood adversity and attachment affect later life. She has also provided counselling through a charitable organisation in Chester, working with people referred from NHS services and local authorities.

Ruth has nine years' experience and supports people dealing with grief, depression, trauma and abuse, anxiety and panic, relationship problems and questions of self-worth and life purpose. She adapts her sessions to the issues you bring and offers both shorter block work and longer open-ended therapy.

Sessions begin with an initial meeting to see whether things feel like a good fit. Ruth follows the BACP Ethical Framework and has ongoing supervision as part of her professional practice.

Approaches that guide online counselling

Person-centred work puts your experience at the heart of the session. The counsellor listens with empathy and helps you make sense of your feelings in your own time, which suits people who need space to talk and feel heard.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) offers clear tools to identify unhelpful thought and behaviour patterns. It can help with anxiety, panic, mood difficulties and practical coping strategies for day-to-day life.

Attachment-informed ideas look at how early relationships shape current patterns in relationships and attachment. This can be useful for people dealing with codependency, relationship struggles or effects of childhood adversity.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with you to identify goals, try different methods and adapt the way you work together as needs change. You can discuss whether short-term focused work or longer open-ended therapy is the best fit.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging. Video calls are good for face-to-face conversation across distance. Phone sessions can be simpler when bandwidth is low or you prefer not to be on camera. Live chat and messaging suit shorter check-ins, written reflections or people who prefer typing their thoughts. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family life and other commitments.