Petina Walker, BACP

Petina Walker brings 17 years of experience to her counselling work and is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). She is based in the United Kingdom and has built a practice that focuses on helping people find clarity when life feels overwhelming. Petina listens actively and aims to create a calm, respectful space where difficult topics can be talked through without rush.

Her background includes long experience in drugs and alcohol services, group facilitation and clinical assessments. Petina qualified in 2008 after training at The Iron Mill Institute in Exeter and has led a wellbeing centre for over two decades. That mix of front-line work and practice running helps her bring practical, down-to-earth support to sessions.

Petina draws on a variety of approaches to suit each person’s needs. She uses Attachment-Based ideas alongside client-centred listening and emotionally focused ways of looking at relationships. Mindfulness and motivational interviewing techniques are also woven into sessions when helpful.

People come to her for a wide range of concerns, including stress, anxiety, addiction, grief, trauma, relationship and intimacy-related issues, eating and sleeping problems, parenting challenges, low self-esteem and coping with life changes such as separation or illness. She also works with issues linked to attachment, codependency and body image.

Sessions are guided by what each person brings on the day. Petina aims to tailor the approach so it feels useful and manageable, focusing on clear steps clients can try between sessions. She describes her work as client-led and practical, with attention to both immediate needs and longer-term patterns.

Approaches that shape online counselling

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how earlier connections affect current relationships and emotional patterns. It helps when people notice repeated worries about closeness, abandonment or trust. Client-Centred Therapy centres on listening and understanding without judgement, helping people find their own pace and direction in therapy. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) works with emotions and interactions in relationships to build new ways of responding and connecting.

Finding the right approach is part of the journey. Petina will work collaboratively to identify which methods suit a person’s needs, goals and preferences. She will adapt techniques from different models so sessions feel relevant to what is happening now.

Practical benefits of online therapy include fitting sessions into a busy life and reducing travel time. Online work can make it easier to book shorter check-ins, manage therapy around work or caregiving, and keep momentum between appointments. The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm which options are available before booking to make sure they match your needs.