Michael Wilkes-Spellman, NCPS

Michael Wilkes-Spellman is a counsellor with 13 years of practice who helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression and relationship or intimacy concerns. He also supports those dealing with grief, trauma and compassion fatigue, plus issues linked to career change and coping with life transitions. Michael holds NCPS, which stands for National Counselling Society registration, and he offers appointments on weekday evenings.

He uses a blend of approaches and adapts sessions to what each person needs. Much of his work draws on Client-Centred Therapy, which focuses on listening and understanding a person’s experience, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which looks at thoughts and behaviours that keep problems going. Mindfulness and Motivational Interviewing are also part of his toolkit when they suit the person.

Sessions aim to help people spot unhelpful patterns and try new coping strategies. Conversations are practical and direct, with space to look at feelings and life history when that feels relevant. Michael describes his method as integrated, tailoring the mix to each person rather than using one fixed model.

He works part time and keeps developing his skills in wellbeing topics introduced since his initial training in 2011. He makes room for adults, couples and older adults facing life challenges and decisions.

People interested in starting are asked to select the Start Therapy button and complete a short matching questionnaire. Scheduling is then arranged according to his weekday evening availability.

How Michael’s approaches translate to online work

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on being heard and understood. The counsellor offers active listening and reflects what someone says to help them make sense of their feelings. This approach is useful for people who need space to talk through emotions and life decisions.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at links between thoughts, feelings and actions. It breaks problems into manageable steps and uses practical exercises to try different ways of responding. CBT can help with anxiety, low mood and unhelpful behaviour patterns.

Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and build calm. It can be helpful alongside other work when someone wants steadier control over stress and emotion.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The counsellor will discuss goals, preferences and what feels useful, then try methods that suit the person. That collaborative process helps shape a plan rather than imposing a single method.

The profile does not list specific session formats, so confirm the available options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, avoid travel time and continue work in evenings. Shorter check-ins or video conversations can be arranged to match practical needs, and the counsellor will agree a rhythm that fits everyday life.