Alan Russell, NCPS

Alan Russell is a counsellor with five years of professional experience in teaching, coordinating and direct client work. He offers calm, straightforward support for people facing stress, anxiety, depression and career difficulties. He also works with those coping with addictions, trauma and abuse, and people dealing with midlife concerns and related mood issues.

He describes his approach as integrative, which means he adapts conversations and plans to fit each person's needs. In a typical session he listens, asks practical questions and helps clients set small, achievable steps. He aims to create a respectful and sensitive space where people can talk honestly about guilt, shame and pressures at work.

Alan has worked in education and coordination roles alongside counselling. That background informs his structured way of helping people organise thoughts and priorities. He uses clear language and focuses on what a person can try between sessions to make gradual changes.

People often come to him worried about burnout, overwhelm or a sense of being stuck. He supports them to identify what matters, weigh options and plan next steps. He encourages realistic goals and keeps the work practical rather than abstract.

To begin he asks newcomers to complete a short matching questionnaire so he can understand their needs. From there he and the client arrange ongoing sessions and a working plan suited to the person’s circumstances.

Approaches that guide online work and how they help

Alan describes his work as integrative and uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques chosen to suit each person. One common approach he draws on focuses on practical problem-solving and activity planning to reduce anxiety and lift mood; this involves breaking bigger problems into small, manageable steps and tracking progress. Another approach emphasises talking through past events and their impact so people can make sense of trauma or abuse and reduce its hold on daily life.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. He will discuss goals and preferences with each person and adapt methods as the work progresses. That way the plan reflects what the client wants and what feels most helpful in practice.

Practical benefits of online therapy often include easier fitting of sessions into a busy week and fewer travel demands. Because the session formats in his biography are not specified here, confirm the available session types before booking so you know whether video, phone or other options are possible. Online work can allow shorter check-ins between longer sessions, quieter timing around work hours and more flexibility to keep therapy consistent alongside daily responsibilities.