Paula Otley, BACP, NCPS

Paula Otley brings more than 16 years of experience supporting people through loss and life transitions. Her work began in bereavement support volunteering, where sustained contact with people in profound moments of grief helped shape her decision to train formally in counselling. She is an integrative counsellor who combines person-centred practice with psychodynamic ideas from a relational perspective, and she later trained in cognitive behavioural therapy in 2020 to broaden the range of tools she offers.

Paula meets each person as an individual, recognising the distinct perspectives they bring and building a dependable therapeutic alliance that supports change. Her background includes work in GP practice settings, the NHS, charities, community counselling services, private practice and employee assistance programmes, giving her experience with a wide variety of referral contexts and presenting issues. She works with concerns such as stress, anxiety, grief, relationship and family difficulties, trauma and abuse, addiction, self-esteem, depression and many other life challenges.

Paula holds MBACP accreditation, which indicates membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, and NCPS, a professional counselling credential. She approaches therapy collaboratively, working alongside clients to decide the best way forward and adapting methods to meet each person’s needs.

Integrative approaches for effective online therapy

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on the person rather than the problem, offering a supportive, non-judgemental space where clients lead the pace and direction of their work. It is helpful for people seeking greater self-understanding, improved self-esteem and a collaborative therapeutic relationship.

Psychodynamic Therapy explores patterns of feeling and relationship that develop over time, helping clients notice recurring themes and unresolved experiences that influence current behaviour. This approach can be useful for addressing long-standing difficulties with relationships, attachment and emotional responses.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) offers practical strategies to identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviours, often providing tools for managing anxiety, low mood and stress. Paula integrates CBT techniques with relational approaches to tailor interventions to each person.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Paula works collaboratively with clients to identify which methods suit their needs, goals and preferences, and she adapts the work over time as those needs change.

Online therapy by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging makes it easier to fit sessions into busy lives and to access support from different locations. These flexible formats allow clients to choose what feels most comfortable while still engaging in consistent, professional therapeutic work with a registered professional.