Hal Thompson, BACP

Hal Thompson recognises that taking the first step toward therapy often requires courage and intention. He is an accredited member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and holds a Master’s degree in psychodynamic counselling and psychotherapy from Birkbeck, University of London, together with a BA in psychology from the University of Sussex. He has three years of clinical experience working in mental health across public and private settings, and earlier professional experience in the arts and education.

His clinical foundation is psychodynamic in orientation, focusing on how past experiences and habitual coping patterns shape life in the present, often outside conscious awareness. Hal aims to build a collaborative therapeutic process tailored to each person, offering a space where different parts of the self can be invited, acknowledged, and potentially changed. He also draws on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and internal family systems (IFS) when these approaches can offer practical tools or fresh perspectives.

Hal works with people facing stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, and self-esteem difficulties, and he also supports concerns such as attachment issues, dissociation, drug and alcohol addiction, guilt and shame, men’s issues, narcissistic dynamics, obsessive-compulsive patterns, panic, post-traumatic stress, prejudice and discrimination, self-harm, self-love, and social anxiety. He brings curiosity and compassion to the work, helping clients explore underlying causes of stuckness and discover pathways toward increased understanding and well-being.

Psychodynamic and Practical Approaches Delivered Online

Psychodynamic therapy looks at how past relationships and early experiences influence current patterns of thought, feeling, and behaviour. It helps people understand unconscious dynamics and recurring difficulties, often by exploring emotions, memories, and interpersonal themes that repeat over time.

Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and behaviours and developing practical strategies to change them. It is often used for anxiety, panic, obsessive-compulsive patterns, and mood-related difficulties to build skills for managing symptoms.

Internal Family Systems, or IFS, works with the different parts of a person’s inner world, encouraging compassionate dialogue between those parts to reduce internal conflict and strengthen a core sense of self. It can be helpful for issues such as trauma, dissociation, and shame.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Hal collaborates with each client to explore what feels most helpful, adjusting methods to match individual needs, goals, and preferences rather than applying a fixed model.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions by video or phone, and options for live chat or text-based messaging mean people can access support from home, work, or while travelling. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and to maintain continuity of care for clients who live in different locations or have scheduling constraints.