Madeleine Heffernan , BACP

Madeleine Heffernan is a therapist based in Cambridge, UK who blends several therapeutic methods to meet each client's unique needs. She holds BACP, which indicates membership in the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, and draws on psychodynamic work to explore how past experiences shape present patterns while also using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to address unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. Madeleine also incorporates a compassion-focused orientation to cultivate self-kindness and sometimes employs Emotional Freedom Technique, also known as tapping, as an adjunct tool.

Her practice concentrates on a wide range of concerns including stress and anxiety, relationship and family difficulties, trauma and abuse, depression, addictions, grief, parenting and intimacy-related issues. Madeleine emphasises the client as the expert in their own story and seeks to build on existing strengths so people can move toward a more fulfilling life. The therapeutic process may include attentive listening, exploration and developing insight into inner experiences, alongside practical tasks or observations to work on between sessions if the client chooses.

Madeleine maintains regular communication windows and offers a blend of messaging and scheduled live sessions. She responds to messages between 08:30 and 20:30 daily, offering up to an hour of messaging per week, and holds live video, phone or instant messaging sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 08:00 and 18:00.

Therapeutic Approaches That Translate to Online Care

Madeleine commonly integrates Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and psychodynamic therapy in her work. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviours, and can be useful for issues like anxiety, depression and stress. Psychodynamic therapy explores how past relationships and experiences influence current feelings and patterns, helping clients gain understanding and make different choices.

She also draws on Emotionally-Focused Therapy, which centres on identifying and reshaping emotional responses within relationships, supporting people dealing with intimacy, attachment and relational conflict. Each approach offers different tools and perspectives to address emotional distress and relational difficulties.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Madeleine works collaboratively with clients and licensed professionals to identify which methods best match a person’s needs, goals and preferences, adjusting the approach as therapy progresses.

Online work is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to fit therapy into everyday life and to access support from home or other convenient locations while maintaining regular contact with a therapist.