Michelle Copley, BACP

Michelle Copley is a counsellor who has worked with people facing a wide range of difficulties since qualifying in 2011. Her practice covers trauma including PTSD, grief, relationship problems, opioid and alcohol addiction, parenting challenges, self-harm and suicidal feelings, depression and anxiety. She draws on extensive experience to support clients through complex life events and emotional struggles.

Her style is engaging and collaborative, aiming to make the counselling journey as approachable as possible. She focuses on understanding each person’s experience and helping them move forward, operating from the principle that everyone deserves respect and to be understood during times of need.

As an integrative counsellor, Michelle is trained in a range of counselling and psychotherapy techniques and selects the approaches that best fit each individual. She works in partnership with clients to design personalised plans that reflect their goals and preferences. Her psycho-educational, conversational method combines listening and insight with practical teaching about the therapies she uses, so clients can apply what they learn outside of sessions.

Her main methods include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which focuses on thoughts and behaviours, Transactional Analysis, which explores patterns in relationships, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy among other approaches. Michelle has experience offering both in-person and remote sessions, and since Covid she has continued to work online because many clients find it easier to engage from their own surroundings and to avoid added travel time and costs. She is based in the United Kingdom and is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), which denotes professional affiliation with that organisation.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Michelle uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to help clients understand how thoughts and behaviours interact; this approach is often applied to anxiety, depression, stress and some aspects of addiction and sleeping difficulties. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is used to teach practical skills in emotional regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness, which can be helpful for people managing intense emotions, self-harm urges or relationship challenges. Client-Centred Therapy offers a supportive, non-judgemental space where the therapist follows the client’s lead to build understanding, self-worth and agency, often assisting those facing grief, life transitions or low self-esteem.

Finding the right approach is part of the process and Michelle works collaboratively with each person to determine what fits best. She combines methods where appropriate, listens to client preferences and adapts plans to match goals and changing needs so the pathway feels personalised and practical.

Online therapy with Michelle is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging, which provides flexibility for people balancing work, family or mobility limitations. These options allow sessions to take place from familiar surroundings, reduce travel time and cost, and make it easier to sustain regular contact with a registered professional over the course of therapy.