Madeleine Heffernan, BACP

Madeleine Heffernan is a licensed therapist working from Cambridge in the United Kingdom who brings a flexible, client-centered approach to counselling and psychotherapy. She tailors her work to each person she meets, combining psychodynamic psychotherapy - which explores present difficulties in the context of past experiences - with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. She also uses compassion-focused techniques to help clients develop a kinder inner dialogue and sometimes employs Emotional Freedom Technique, a tapping method some people find useful alongside talk therapy.

Madeleine supports people dealing with stress and anxiety, relationship and family difficulties, trauma and abuse, depression, addictions, grief, and many other concerns including parenting, career challenges, body image, and intimacy-related issues. She approaches therapy with the belief that clients are experts in their own lives and that therapy is a collaborative process that builds on personal strengths and resilience. Sessions may include listening, gentle exploration, opportunities for insight, practical tasks to try between sessions if desired, and development of supportive self-talk drawing on psychodynamic and CBT ideas.

She is a member of BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - and offers a mix of contact options. She responds to messages daily between 08:30 and 20:30, offering up to an hour of messaging per week, and holds live sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 08:00 and 18:00 by video, phone or instant messaging.

Therapeutic approaches and how online sessions work

Madeleine principally draws on Attachment-Based Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and psychodynamic approaches. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships shape expectations and patterns in current relationships and can be helpful for intimacy, trust and family issues. CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviours to reduce symptoms such as anxiety or low mood and to build practical coping strategies. Psychodynamic work explores how past experiences and unconscious patterns influence present feelings and behaviours, offering deeper understanding of recurring difficulties.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey. Madeleine works collaboratively with each client to clarify goals, test different techniques, and arrive at a blend of methods that fits the client’s needs, preferences and life circumstances. This collaborative process helps ensure therapy feels relevant and manageable.

Online therapy with Madeleine is designed to be flexible and accessible. She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging so clients can choose formats that suit their schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care while balancing work, family and other commitments.