Nicola Willoughby, BACP

Nicola Willoughby is a registered member of the BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - and has been practising counselling since 2020. Trained as an integrative counsellor, she tailors her methods to suit each person rather than relying on a single approach, drawing on a range of evidence-based techniques to meet individual needs.

Her professional training includes a higher diploma in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and a foundation certificate in working with children and teenagers. Nicola has also completed further training in bereavement and loss, domestic abuse, anxiety, anger, and emotional regulation. Over the years she has worked with many children with ADHD or ASD diagnoses as well as adults who are newly diagnosed, supporting them to recognise their strengths and the qualities that make them resilient.

Nicola views clients as the experts in their own lives and aims to create a collaborative space where those answers become clearer. By helping clients identify strengths and practical steps, she supports change across a range of concerns including trauma and abuse, grief, parenting, career shifts, and coping with life changes.

Practical therapeutic approaches for online support

Nicola commonly uses integrative counselling and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as part of her online practice. Integrative counselling blends techniques from different approaches so the therapist can adapt to what a client needs - this can be helpful for people facing complex life changes, parenting challenges, or relationship difficulties. CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviours; it is often used to address anxiety, panic, phobias, and problems with emotional regulation.

She also applies bereavement-informed approaches when working with grief and loss, offering gentle, structured support to help people process loss and rebuild routines and meaning. Deciding on the right approach is collaborative - Nicola works with each person to explore their goals, preferences, and responses to different methods and adjusts the plan as therapy progresses.

Online sessions via video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging provide flexibility for people balancing work, family, or mobility needs. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care, fit sessions into busy schedules, and access support from home while working with a registered professional.