Shirley Banton, BACP

Shirley Banton is a counsellor offering online therapy from the United Kingdom. She brings 11 years of counselling experience and works in a way that lets people set the pace and shape of their sessions. Her style is calm, honest and non-judgemental, aimed at helping people feel heard and less overwhelmed.

Shirley uses a person-centred approach that keeps the client's experience central. She blends this with other methods to match what each person needs, rather than using the same plan for everyone. Sessions focus on understanding patterns, rebuilding confidence and developing healthier boundaries.

People who come to Shirley often want to address anxiety, stress, depression, trauma and relationship or intimacy-related issues. She also supports those coping with life changes, grief, addiction concerns, sleep or eating struggles, parenting strain, work-related pressure and attention-related difficulties. Her background includes work with people affected by domestic and relational abuse.

In sessions Shirley is collaborative and reflective. She encourages curiosity about thoughts and feelings and helps people make sense of painful experiences. Practical tools from cognitive and solution-focused approaches are used alongside deeper exploration when useful.

Shirley is registered with BACP, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging, and she accepts clients internationally. To begin, someone selects the Start Therapy button, completes a short matching questionnaire and schedules sessions according to availability.

Therapeutic approaches and how they suit online work

Shirley draws on client-centred practice, CBT and mindfulness in her online work. Client-centred therapy focuses on listening deeply and following what matters most to the person. It helps when someone wants a steady, respectful space to understand feelings and choices. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions and offers practical steps to change patterns that cause distress. Mindfulness therapy teaches simple ways to notice the present moment and reduce reactivity, which can be useful for anxiety, stress and sleep problems.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Shirley works collaboratively to decide which methods fit a person’s goals and preferences. She checks in about what is helping and adapts the focus over time so the work remains relevant and manageable.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation from different locations. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or a quieter check-in is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging suit shorter updates, on-the-go reflection or times when typing feels easier than speaking. These options make it simpler to schedule regular sessions around work, study and family commitments while keeping the therapeutic relationship consistent.