Julie Shankly, BACP

Julie Shankly is a counsellor with 21 years of professional experience in the United Kingdom. She is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, and she aims to offer a respectful and compassionate space for people beginning therapy. Julie focuses on practical support and clear conversation rather than jargon or long clinical explanations.

She helps people dealing with stress and anxiety, relationship strains, family conflict and intimacy-related worries. She also supports those facing depression, grief, trauma and abuse, and a range of life changes such as career shifts or parenting pressures. Her practice includes work with eating and sleeping problems, compassion fatigue, ADHD and bipolar concerns where relevant.

Julie adapts sessions to each person. She will tailor talk and therapeutic tasks to what feels most useful for the individual. Clients can expect a straightforward approach that aims to address immediate problems while looking at deeper patterns when needed.

Her methods draw on several approaches including client-centred work and cognitive behavioural techniques, plus solution-focused and psychodynamic ideas when they fit the situation. Hypnotherapy is also part of her toolkit for those who find it helpful.

Julie encourages people to be patient with themselves when starting therapy and acknowledges that taking the first step takes courage. She asks new clients to use the Start Therapy button and complete a short matching questionnaire to begin the process and arrange sessions.

Therapeutic approaches and how they translate online

Client-centred therapy focuses on understanding your experience and building a trusting relationship. The counsellor listens without judgement and helps you find your own solutions, which can be useful for anxiety, low mood and relationship concerns.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings and behaviours connect. It uses practical techniques and short exercises to reduce unhelpful patterns and can help with stress, sleep issues and worry.

Hypnotherapy is offered as an additional tool to support change through guided relaxation and focused suggestion; people sometimes use it for habits, anxiety or sleep problems.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The counsellor will discuss options with each person and agree on a plan that fits their goals and preferences. This is a collaborative process and can change as needs evolve.

Online therapy can make it easier to fit counselling around everyday life, for example by reducing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins during a lunch break, or letting someone join from a quieter location. Please confirm which session formats are available before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats.