- Person-centred approach
- Works with grief
- Supports carers
About Vanessa
Vanessa Richards is a counsellor who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression and relationship difficulty. She also supports those dealing with trauma and abuse, grief, parenting strain, adoption and foster care matters, and concerns such as self-esteem and motivation. Vanessa works in a collaborative, relational way and aims to make the first step into therapy feel manageable for someone who is worried or unsure.
Vanessa holds a Master’s in integrative counselling and psychotherapy and is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). She brings five years of counselling experience alongside earlier clinical work in therapeutic radiography, where she spent over seven years supporting people through cancer treatment. That clinical background informs her understanding of illness, caregiving stress and practical challenges that come with long-term conditions.
Her approach is warm and person-focused. Sessions tend to centre on listening first, naming what matters, and then trying techniques together that suit each person. She uses methods such as client-centred work, cognitive behavioural tools, dialectical behaviour strategies, emotionally-focused ideas and motivational interviewing, chosen to match the person’s needs.
Vanessa has worked in public and private settings, including roles that supported survivors of domestic and sexual violence. She aims to create a calm space where thoughts and feelings can be shared without judgement and where people can make steady changes at their own pace.
If you are exploring therapy, she asks people to pick the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to availability.
How these approaches translate to online counselling
Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and understanding the person’s experience, helping them to feel heard and to find their own answers. It is useful for building confidence and working through emotional concerns like low self-esteem or grief.Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful patterns. It often helps with anxiety, depression and coping with life changes.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, DBT, teaches skills for managing strong emotions and improving interpersonal effectiveness. It can be helpful where emotion regulation and impulsive behaviour are a concern.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about their needs, goals and what feels most useful, then suggest techniques to try together. That choice is made in collaboration rather than imposed.
For practical online therapy questions please confirm the session formats available before you book. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy life, cut out travel time, or let someone join from a different location when international access is needed. They can also allow for shorter check-ins or camera-free options where that suits a person’s comfort or bandwidth.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
5+ years
Credentials
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What issues does Vanessa help with?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting strain, adoption and foster care concerns, ADHD and related challenges.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is relational and person-centred, with practical techniques used alongside supportive listening to address immediate problems and longer-term patterns.
What is her professional background?
She has five years of counselling experience, a Master’s in integrative counselling and psychotherapy, and earlier clinical experience as a therapeutic radiographer working with people affected by cancer.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and practises in the United Kingdom.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not specify session formats, so please confirm current session options with the service before booking.
How are sessions paid for and what do costs look like?
Cost varies with location and therapist arrangements; sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a session according to the therapist’s availability.