Valerie Long, BACP

Valerie Long is an accredited counsellor in the United Kingdom with nine years of professional experience supporting people through relationship difficulties, family conflict, trauma and abuse, domestic violence, anxiety and depression. She works with clients facing life changes and a wide range of emotional challenges - including communication problems, control issues, divorce and separation, forgiveness, guilt and shame, isolation and loneliness, questions about life purpose, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress, self-love, and social anxiety. Valerie draws on her accreditation with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) - the professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists in the UK - as the framework for her ethical and professional practice.

Her practice is grounded in the person-centred modality, which treats the client as the expert on their own life and emphasises each person’s strengths. Valerie follows the client’s lead in sessions, trusting that exploration, insight and reflection can foster growth and greater fulfilment. Her manner is gentle and supportive, with a focus on helping people feel more empowered to shape the lives they want.

Valerie aims to create a safe, trusting and personal space where clients can explore their concerns and work toward healing. Others see her as kind, calm, diligent, compassionate and professional, and as someone who listens attentively. She is committed to helping clients develop the skills to help themselves and to supporting them as they take the courageous first steps toward a more satisfying and happier life.

Person-Centred and Evidence-Based Support Delivered Online

Valerie Long works from a person-centred approach, which emphasises the client’s own expertise and strengths. In person-centred work she follows the client’s lead, offering empathetic listening and reflective support to help people explore their thoughts and feelings and build self-understanding. This approach is often helpful for issues like relationship difficulties, grief, self-worth, and life transitions.

Alongside a person-centred stance, Valerie draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques to address specific concerns. These techniques involve structured, research-informed strategies that help manage symptoms of anxiety, depression, panic, and post-traumatic stress, and support coping through change. They are used flexibly to match each person’s needs rather than as a one-size-fits-all solution.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Valerie works collaboratively with clients to decide what fits best based on their goals, preferences and circumstances. For many people, online therapy offers practical benefits - sessions by video call or phone, plus live chat or text-based messaging, make it easier to fit therapy around work, family and daily life and can increase access for those who cannot attend in person. Registered professionals and therapists can adapt these options to provide consistent, ongoing support that suits each client’s schedule and needs.