Vanessa Richards, BACP

Vanessa Richards helps people who are struggling with anxiety, stress, depression and relationship problems. She also supports those dealing with trauma and abuse, addiction, grief and challenges with self-esteem. Vanessa works with a wide range of life issues including parenting strain, career change, ADHD and coping with illness.

She uses a relational style that focuses on listening first and building trust. Sessions are aimed at making sense of what is happening and finding practical next steps. Vanessa describes her work as collaborative - she and the person in therapy decide together what to try.

Vanessa has five years of counselling experience and holds a BACP credential from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Her background includes clinical roles in both health and social settings, and she draws on that experience when supporting people facing complex stressors.

Her approach mixes client-centred listening with methods that help change thinking and manage emotions. Techniques may include structured exercises to spot patterns, skills for managing strong feelings, and motivational conversations to increase momentum. The goal is to leave each session with a clearer sense of what to do next.

Vanessa welcomes people from across the United Kingdom and beyond. She offers sessions in English and can work remotely using video calls, phone, live chat or messaging. Starting is simple: complete a short questionnaire and arrange sessions to fit your schedule.

Practical approaches for online therapy and emotional change

Vanessa draws on client-centred work that focuses on building a trusting relationship and making space for a person to be heard. This approach helps when someone needs to feel understood before trying practical change. Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, offers simple steps to notice and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviours, which is useful for anxiety, low mood and stress. Dialectical behaviour therapy, DBT, teaches skills for managing strong emotions and improving how someone copes with crises and relationship strain.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Vanessa will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and together they will decide which methods to try. That collaborative planning makes it easier to test what helps and adjust over time.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging to make therapy easier to fit into busy lives. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when that helps rapport. Phone sessions can be used when bandwidth is limited or for a shorter check-in. Live chat and messaging are useful for people who prefer writing, need flexible timing or want support between calls. These options aim to make therapy more accessible and easier to attend.