Deborah Gallagher, BACP, NCPS

Deborah Gallagher is a counsellor who uses a client-centred way of working. She draws on a mix of practical ideas and listening to help people facing stress, anxiety, relationship strain, low self-esteem and depression. Deborah has a decade of experience since starting counselling work in 2014 and holds BACP and NCPS membership. She focuses on helping people make small changes that can produce meaningful shifts in daily life.

Deborah frames clients as experts in their own stories. Sessions are collaborative - she listens closely and tailors support to each person’s situation and aims. That might mean focusing on current patterns, trying practical steps, or gently looking at past events to understand present feelings.

Her background includes work with people affected by domestic abuse through local volunteering, and a range of issues such as grief, addictions, intimacy concerns, sleep problems and ADHD. Additional areas she supports include adoption and foster care questions, ageing matters, attachment and communication problems, and work-related stress.

Deborah trained in Integrative and Pluralistic Counselling, which means she draws on a variety of therapeutic ideas rather than a single method. She also uses elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and psychodynamic thinking when these fit a person’s goals.

Clients can expect a compassionate, non-judgemental space in which the counsellor aims to be fully present. The focus is practical: helping people identify strengths, try manageable changes and work towards clearer goals in everyday life.

How Deborah’s approaches translate to online counselling

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and understanding each person’s experience. The counsellor offers empathy and reflects what is said so clients feel heard and can make their own choices. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at patterns of thinking and behaviour and uses simple, practical exercises to change unhelpful cycles and ease symptoms like anxiety or low mood. Psychodynamic ideas pay attention to how past experiences and relationships can shape present feelings and patterns, helping people make sense of recurring issues.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The counsellor will discuss what feels most useful and try different ways of working based on the client’s goals and preferences. This is a collaborative process and can be reviewed as therapy progresses.

The practical benefits of online sessions include fitting therapy into a busy week and reducing travel time, which can make it easier to keep appointments. Online work can also allow shorter check-ins or flexible scheduling around work or family commitments. The original biography does not specify which session formats are offered, so confirm the available options before booking to ensure they suit your needs.