Lorraine McDonnell, BACP

Lorraine McDonnell is a counsellor who focuses on helping people untangle persistent worry and overwhelming thoughts. She trained to work therapeutically and holds BACP accreditation, and she draws on this background to help clients find practical ways forward. Lorraine writes plainly in sessions and aims to create a calm space where people can talk without judgement.

She knows anxiety from personal experience and uses that perspective to shape her approach. Lorraine combines Client-Centred Therapy with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, so sessions often include talking things through and trying small practical changes between meetings. She also uses elements of Psychodynamic and Solution-Focused work to help people make sense of patterns and spot what is useful now.

Her practice supports people facing grief, depression, low self-esteem, life changes and work stress, as well as challenges with sleep, addiction and trauma. Lorraine also helps with parenting strain, career decisions and the emotional load of caring for others. She works with concerns linked to ageing, chronic illness and end-of-life matters when these come up.

Sessions are aimed at helping clients notice unhelpful thought cycles and learn alternative ways of coping. Lorraine prefers straightforward language and goals you can test between appointments. Where needed she will help you plan practical steps for everyday life and work on rebuilding confidence through steady progress.

To begin, Lorraine asks people to complete a short questionnaire and then arrange a session that fits their schedule. She offers therapy in English and practises within the United Kingdom.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Client-Centred Therapy puts your experience at the centre of sessions, with the counsellor listening closely and reflecting back what matters to you. It helps when you need space to be heard and to make sense of feelings like grief or shame.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviour. It often involves identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and trying small practical experiments between sessions to reduce anxiety or lift mood.

Finding the right approach is part of the work itself. Lorraine will collaborate with you to choose or blend methods based on your goals and how you prefer to work, so therapy evolves according to what helps most.

Please confirm current session options before booking, as formats are not specified in the profile. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. Registered or accredited professionals can use these ways of working to help clients practice new skills in everyday life.