Francesca Whitby, BACP

Francesca Whitby is a counsellor who aims to create a warm, accepting space for people feeling stuck or overwhelmed. She stays down to earth and listens closely so clients can take small, practical steps forward. Francesca uses plain language and a calm manner to help people find their footing again.

She combines Person-Centred Therapy with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, offering both open listening and practical tools. That blend lets conversations move from understanding what is happening to trying specific ways to cope day to day. Sessions focus on spotting patterns, testing small changes, and building more confidence in everyday life.

Francesca has four years of experience and is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP. She works with common problems such as stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, relationship problems, grief and life changes. She also supports people dealing with trauma, eating or sleeping difficulties, parenting strain, and mood concerns including depression, bipolar and ADHD-related struggles.

Her manner is straightforward and gently challenging when needed. Conversations aim to be practical rather than abstract, with time spent on small steps clients can try between meetings. Francesca emphasises a trusting therapeutic relationship as the foundation for change.

If someone is unsure where to start, she suggests taking it one step at a time and exploring what feels most urgent. The first sessions are used to understand the main concerns and agree on simple goals to work towards.

How Francesca uses Person‑Centred and CBT approaches online

Francesca blends Person‑Centred Therapy with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in a way that aims to be both compassionate and practical. Person‑Centred work means she offers warm, non‑judgemental listening so people can speak openly and find their own answers. This approach helps when someone needs time to make sense of big feelings and regain confidence.

CBT brings in straightforward tools to spot unhelpful thoughts and try small behaviour changes. It is useful for managing anxiety, improving sleep or tackling patterns that keep people feeling stuck. Together these approaches combine understanding with clear, testable strategies.

Finding the right mix is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose which approach to use, adapting to their goals and preferences as sessions progress. That means clients help shape what feels most useful rather than following a fixed plan.

Practical benefits of online therapy include fitting sessions around work and family life and reducing travel time. Online meetings can make it easier to keep regular appointments and to try techniques between sessions. Confirm the current session formats before booking so they meet your needs, and expect the therapist to help tailor sessions to practical everyday constraints.