Valerie Stanley-Brooks, BACP

Valerie Stanley-Brooks is a counsellor and member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). She has 25 years of experience offering practical, person-focused support for people facing tough life moments. Valerie works with individuals and couples to help them find clearer ways forward.

Her practice draws on a mix of approaches so sessions match what each person needs. She uses client-centred methods to build trust and understanding. She also uses cognitive behavioural ideas to help change unhelpful thoughts and patterns.

Valerie has worked in schools, therapeutic services and voluntary settings. That range means she has experience with stress, anxiety, grief and trauma, as well as issues like addictions, relationship strain and parenting concerns. She also helps people dealing with career changes, compassion fatigue and ADHD-related challenges.

People come to her with practical problems too, such as sleep or eating difficulties, anger, and communication breakdowns. She also supports those coping with abandonment, adoption and foster care issues, blended family dynamics and family of origin difficulties. Sessions aim to be straightforward and focused on small, usable steps.

Valerie offers resources and materials to complement conversations between sessions. She approaches work collaboratively, helping clients set goals and notice what changes help them feel steadier. To begin, clients use the site questionnaire to match and schedule sessions according to availability.

Therapy approaches explained for online work

Client-centred therapy focuses on the person in front of the counsellor. It involves attentive listening, reflection and gentle questioning so the client feels heard and can follow their own path to change. This approach is useful for issues like low self-esteem, relationship strain and emotional overwhelm.

Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, looks at links between thoughts, feelings and actions. It helps people try new behaviours and test different ways of thinking to reduce anxiety, manage mood and change habits. CBT often includes practical exercises to use between sessions.

Trauma-focused work pays attention to how past distress shapes current reactions. It aims to help people feel safer with their memories and responses, and to develop coping strategies that reduce reactivity and improve daily functioning.

Finding the best approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to clarify goals, try different techniques and adjust the plan if something does not feel helpful. Clients are invited to feed back so sessions remain relevant to their needs.

Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into everyday life. Please confirm current session options before booking, as formats are set by the therapist. Many people find remote work helpful because it removes travel time, allows shorter check-ins during busy days and lets conversations happen from wherever it is easiest to be calm and focused. Registered or accredited professionals can adapt their methods to suit an online setting and support steady progress over time.