Hayley Matthews, BACP, NCPS

Hayley Matthews is a counsellor who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression and life changes. She works with individuals dealing with trauma, relationship strains, addiction and low self-esteem. Hayley aims to make starting therapy straightforward and supportive for people feeling overwhelmed by midlife shifts or other major transitions.

Her practice is person-centred, which means she focuses on the person rather than labels. Sessions look at life experience and how it affects current feelings and behaviour. Hayley uses warmth, honesty and respect to build a trusting therapeutic relationship.

She draws on a range of approaches to suit each person’s needs, including cognitive behavioural tools and mindfulness techniques. These are used alongside relational work to help people understand patterns, manage distressing thoughts and try new ways of coping.

Hayley has five years' experience working in mental health and the care sector. She is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - BACP, and NCPS. Her practice has involved both short-term and longer-term counselling for varied concerns such as grief, addiction, parenting pressures and work stress.

Sessions can include creative options like journaling or metaphor work when helpful. To begin, people complete a brief matching questionnaire and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

How Hayley uses different approaches online

Hayley works relationally and draws on a few complementary approaches to help people when meeting remotely. Attachment-based work pays attention to how early relationships shape current reactions and helps when trust, closeness or abandonment remain concerns. Client-centred therapy focuses on listening, empathy and working at your pace so you can make sense of feelings and find your own solutions.

Cognitive behavioural techniques are used to spot unhelpful thoughts and try practical experiments to change patterns. These tools often help with anxiety, low mood and stress by teaching concrete skills to manage difficult moments. Hayley also integrates mindfulness to support grounding and present-moment noticing when needed.

Choosing the right approach is collaborative. The therapist will discuss goals, what helps you most and adapt methods as you go. That means the plan can change if something does not fit, and you both review progress together.

Practical benefits of online work include fitting sessions more easily around daily life and attending from wherever you are in the UK. Online and telephone options can make shorter check-ins or regular therapy simpler to schedule. Confirm the exact session formats offered before booking so arrangements match your needs.