Elaine Bell , BACP

Elaine Bell is a BACP-registered and insured counsellor with nine years of professional experience, developed through roles in both the charity sector and private practice in Northern Ireland. She trained in counselling at multiple levels, earning a Foundation Degree in Counselling in 2017, an Honours Degree in Counselling and Professional Issues in 2020, and a Level 6 Certificate in Counselling Supervision, qualifications that support her clinical and supervisory work.

Trauma-informed in her practice, Elaine offers support for a range of concerns including relationship difficulties, neurodivergence, trauma and abuse, grief and loss, anger management, self-esteem challenges, and spiritual exploration. Her work is integrative, drawing on existential, psychodynamic, person-centred, and focusing-oriented approaches to attend to emotional depth, embodied experience, and the personal patterns that shape how people relate to themselves and others.

Elaine works relationally and places value on the client as the expert in their own story, aiming to help people recognise and build on their existing strengths as they navigate change. She describes the decision to seek therapy as an act of courage and offers supportive, empowering guidance for clients pursuing a more authentic and fulfilling life.

Important update - effective from Monday 14th April 2025 Elaine will offer weekly phone, video, and live chat sessions only for all new clients. Asynchronous messaging will be limited to practical matters such as scheduling, sharing resources, or session-related materials. Clients may use the message space as a personal journal, but entries will not receive a therapeutic response. This update supports clear boundaries and contained therapeutic work within scheduled sessions.

Integrative approaches and online therapeutic care

Elaine commonly draws on client-centered therapy, existential therapy, and psychodynamic therapy in her work. Client-centered therapy focuses on creating a non-judgmental, empathetic space where the person’s experience is honoured and self-directed change is encouraged; it is helpful for building self-esteem, exploring relationship patterns, and strengthening personal agency. Existential therapy explores meaning, choice, and responsibility in life, supporting people facing grief, life transitions, or questions about purpose. Psychodynamic therapy attends to underlying emotional patterns and past influences on current behaviour, which can be useful for resolving recurring relationship difficulties, trauma-related responses, and long-standing emotional conflicts.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process and Elaine works collaboratively with clients to identify what fits best based on needs, goals, and preferences. Together they explore which methods feel most helpful and adapt the work as it unfolds so that therapy remains responsive and practical.

Online therapy with Elaine is offered through scheduled video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different lifestyles and geographic locations. These options make it easier to attend regular weekly sessions and to maintain continuity of care, while allowing clients to choose the format that feels most comfortable for them. Note that for new clients Elaine offers weekly phone, video, and live chat sessions, and asynchronous messaging is limited to practical matters such as scheduling and resource sharing.