Anne-Marie Bates, BACP

Anne-Marie Bates welcomes people who are feeling stuck, overwhelmed or unsure about the next stage in life. She focuses on worries such as stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, relationship strain and the sense of emptiness that can appear around midlife. Her tone is calm and straightforward, and she aims to make the first steps feel manageable for anyone seeking change.

Anne-Marie has 12 years of counselling experience across education and private practice. She has worked with students and staff at a college of higher education and with clients from a range of backgrounds. She uses a respectful, non-judgemental approach and adapts conversations to the person in front of her.

Her working style draws on client-centred methods that put the person's experience first. She also uses elements of cognitive behavioural therapy to help spot and shift unhelpful thinking patterns. Solution-focused ideas are used to identify small, practical steps that move things forward.

Sessions are shaped around the individual’s needs, with space to talk through feelings about relationships, family pressures, body image, life purpose and moments of shame or guilt. Anne-Marie emphasises compassion while also encouraging actions that can ease day-to-day distress.

She is a BACP member, practises in the United Kingdom and conducts therapy in English. To begin, clients choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire and then arrange sessions to suit both parties.

How these approaches can work online

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on understanding the person’s experience and offering empathic listening. It helps when someone needs a space to talk through feelings and make sense of what matters to them. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at links between thoughts, feelings and behaviour and offers practical strategies to change unhelpful patterns. It is often useful for anxiety, low mood and stress. Solution-Focused Therapy concentrates on small achievable steps and on what a person wants to be different. It supports people who prefer brief, goal-directed work.

Finding the right blend of approaches is part of the process. The therapist will work collaboratively to decide which methods fit the client’s needs, goals and preferences. Together they will try ideas and adjust as progress is made.

Confirm the exact session options before booking, as formats are not specified here. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow brief check-ins when that suits. It can also let people choose sessions that match their energy levels, for example shorter conversations if that helps on a busy day. Registered or accredited professionals often use this flexibility to support steady, practical progress.