Linda Mather (nee Spencer), BACP

Linda Mather (nee Spencer) is a psychotherapist with 26 years of experience and holds BACP accreditation. She is also a trainer, clinical supervisor and an author of counselling and self-help books. Linda takes a practical and straightforward approach to therapy and aims to make the first step less daunting for people who are worried or unsure.

Her work is integrative, which means she draws on several therapy models and adapts them to each person. She combines elements from cognitive-behavioural, humanistic, psychodynamic, solution-focused and transactional analysis approaches. Sessions focus on what the person brings in the room and on finding what helps most in day-to-day life.

Linda has supported people with depression, anxiety, substance misuse and obsessive-compulsive concerns. She has also helped those affected by trauma and emotional abuse. Her listed interests include midlife crisis, stress, addictions, intimacy-related issues, parenting, grief and career pressures among others.

She currently works with children and adolescents for issues such as self-harm, emotional regulation, anxiety, depression, communication, bullying, loss and friendship problems. Linda offers an open, warm style and aims to create a calm space where people can talk things through and plan manageable next steps.

Linda adapts session pace and focus to each person. She encourages practical skill-building alongside talking therapies and collaborates with people to set realistic goals and ways to measure progress.

How Linda’s approaches work in online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on helping people notice difficult thoughts and feelings and then commit to actions that reflect their values. It is often used for stress, anxiety, coping with life changes and situations like midlife transitions. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and teaches practical strategies to challenge unhelpful patterns and build new habits. It is commonly used for anxiety, depression and problem-solving in daily life. Client-Centred Therapy places the person’s own experience at the centre, offering empathic listening and space to explore feelings at a comfortable pace; this approach supports self-esteem, grief and relationship concerns.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and what feels most helpful, and then adapt methods over time in collaboration with the person seeking support.

The biography does not list specific session formats, so please confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions around work and family life, reduce travel time and allow more flexible check-ins. It also lets the therapist and client try different ways of working, such as skills practice, brief coaching-style tasks or longer reflective sessions, depending on what suits the person and their daily routine.