Debra Laking , BACP

Debra Laking is a UK-based therapist who brings a thoughtful, person-centered approach to supporting people through stressful and life-changing moments. With a BACP credential - membership in the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - she combines clinical training with a focus on empathy and respect. Over four years of professional practice, she has worked with issues such as stress and anxiety, relationship difficulties, grief and loss, self-esteem concerns, and coping with change.

Her practice is influenced by humanistic and integrative principles, which means she adapts methods to suit each person's needs rather than using a one-size-fits-all model. Debra aims to create a warm, non-judgmental space where clients can explore thoughts and feelings at their own pace while building on existing strengths. She also pays attention to related areas including aging and geriatric concerns, attachment and autism-related issues, caregiver stress, life purpose, and end-of-life considerations.

Debra supports people navigating transitions like divorce, caregiving responsibilities, or serious illness, and she works with matters of communication, control, guilt, and forgiveness. Her style centers on collaboration - recognizing that the person seeking help understands their own story best - and on guiding practical steps toward greater well-being and clearer choices.

Therapeutic approaches and online support

Debra uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and values-driven actions - the approach encourages accepting difficult feelings while committing to behaviours that align with what matters most, which can be useful for anxiety, stress, and life transitions.

She also draws on Client-Centered Therapy, offering a warm, non-judgmental listening environment where the client is treated as the expert on their own experience; this approach supports self-exploration, relationship concerns, grief, and building self-esteem.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is another part of her toolkit, focusing on identifying and gradually changing thinking and behaviour patterns that contribute to distress, making it suited to anxiety, stress management, and coping skills development.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic work. Debra collaborates with each person to identify which methods fit their goals, preferences, and circumstances, and she adjusts her approach over time as needs evolve.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions by video call or phone provide conversational depth, while live chat and text-based messaging allow more frequent check-ins and flexible timing. These options help people access support around work, caregiving, mobility, or geographic constraints, making it easier to maintain continuity of care and progress toward meaningful change.