Chris Orton, BACP

Chris Orton offers a calm, thoughtful approach to therapy for people facing overwhelm, difficult transitions, or recurring patterns that feel hard to shift. He believes that taking the step to explore unsettling thoughts and feelings takes courage, and that understanding why certain ways of thinking, feeling and behaving have developed can open the door to lasting change. By working together in a supportive therapeutic relationship, he helps people develop greater self-understanding and build healthier patterns for the future.

Chris places a strong emphasis on the therapeutic relationship itself, trusting in each person’s capacity to use that relationship to grow and improve their understanding of themselves within the particular circumstances of their life. He aims to be present and empathic, walking alongside clients in distress while offering a balanced environment that is both supportive and appropriately challenging. He also recognises that emotional and psychological struggles often arise from a mix of internal experiences and external social factors, and that adapting one’s relationship to those external pressures can be an empowering part of the work.

He works in an integrative way, drawing on humanistic and experiential traditions alongside existential and phenomenological perspectives, and he privileges each client’s individuality and diversity by working in a client-centred manner. Chris trained and qualified at postgraduate level in Counselling and Psychotherapy and is registered in the UK with the BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, a professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists. Before private practice he worked in a university counselling service supporting a diverse student population, and his research interest includes cross-cultural therapy.

Approach-focused online therapy and support

Chris Orton uses client-centred therapy to place the person at the heart of the work, offering a non-judgemental stance that helps clients explore their feelings and priorities at their own pace. This approach supports issues such as low self-esteem, relationship concerns and coping with life changes by emphasising empathy, acceptance and the client’s own resources.

He also draws on existential therapy to help people explore meaning, choice and personal responsibility when they face emptiness, grief, major life transitions or questions about identity. Existential work can be useful for those wrestling with big life questions or the sense that their life lacks direction.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Chris works collaboratively with each person to identify what fits best with their needs, goals and preferences. He will discuss different ways of working and adapt the approach as therapy progresses so clients remain active partners in shaping their care.

Online sessions - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging - offer flexibility for people with busy schedules, varied locations or mobility constraints. These options make it easier to access regular support, maintain continuity of care when life changes, and choose the format that feels most comfortable for each individual.