Vanessa Higgins , BACP

Vanessa Higgins is a UK-based counsellor with 10 years of professional experience supporting people through anxiety, depression, stress, grief, trauma, and challenges to self-esteem. She works with a broad range of issues including attachment and abandonment concerns, caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, relationship difficulties, life transitions such as divorce and midlife crises, and perinatal matters. Vanessa blends multiple therapeutic perspectives to tailor care to each person’s situation and goals, using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Person-Centred principles, and psychodynamic ideas as part of an integrative approach. BACP indicates membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, a recognised professional body in the UK.

Vanessa’s practice emphasizes empathy, attentive listening, and helping people build long-term coping strategies and personal insight. She aims to move at a pace that feels manageable for each individual, focusing on emotional support and practical tools for daily life. Session times are concentrated on Mondays through the day and into the early evening, with regular availability on Fridays and occasional additional slots during the week that can vary week to week. Vanessa is not currently accepting new clients.

Integrative approaches and how online therapy can help

Vanessa draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to help people identify and change unhelpful thought and behaviour patterns - an approach often used for anxiety, low mood, and stress-related difficulties. She also uses Person-Centred principles that prioritise empathic listening and a non-judgmental stance, supporting people to explore their feelings and strengthen self-understanding and resilience. Psychodynamic ideas may be used to explore past experiences and attachment patterns that influence current relationships and emotional responses.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Vanessa works collaboratively with each person to consider their needs, goals, and preferences and will adapt techniques over time to find the best fit. Clients are involved in decisions about pace and focus so therapy reflects their priorities.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, making it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules or manage care from home. These formats offer flexibility in timing and communication style while allowing licensed professionals and therapists to provide consistent, ongoing support.