Leo Puttock, BACP

Leo Puttock is a person-centred counsellor based on the edge of the Peak District near Macclesfield, supporting young people and adults from diverse backgrounds. With six years of clinical experience across the NHS, local charities and his own practice, he works with a broad range of concerns including anxiety, depression, traumatic and adverse experiences, work-related stress, relationship difficulties, new parent challenges, addictions, identity and sexuality questions, and eating and food-related issues. He is an ally to the LGBTQ+ community and creates an accepting space that helps build constructive therapeutic relationships.

Leo’s practice is grounded in person-centred principles that assume people have the capacity to grow and move toward what matters to them. He also draws on a range of complementary methods when helpful, selecting brief solution-focused tools, trauma-informed techniques, and relational work to explore how people act and react in everyday interactions. He places particular emphasis on acceptance and values-based choices, and on cultivating presence through mindfulness to support coping and change.

Leo holds BACP accreditation - membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, which recognises professional training and practice standards in the UK. He invites prospective clients to get in touch for an informal conversation to see whether his approach fits their needs and to discuss next steps.

Therapeutic approaches suited to online support

Leo commonly works with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, client-centred therapy and mindfulness-based techniques. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify personal values and take committed action toward them, while learning to relate differently to difficult thoughts and feelings - it can be useful for anxiety, depression and long-term stress. Client-centred therapy prioritises the client's own experience, offering empathic listening and non-directive support to help people explore identity, relationships and self-esteem at their own pace. Mindfulness therapy focuses on developing present-moment awareness and simple practices to reduce reactivity, which can support coping with overwhelming emotions, trauma-related symptoms and impulsivity.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Leo works collaboratively with each person and will help determine which combination of methods best fits the client’s needs, goals and preferences, drawing on accepted practices used by registered professionals and therapists.

Online therapy options - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging - offer flexibility for people balancing work, family and other commitments. These formats make it easier to access regular, consistent support from home or work and allow sessions to adapt to changing needs and schedules while preserving the therapeutic relationship.