Michelle Copley , BACP

Michelle Copley qualified in 2011 and has developed an integrative counselling practice that supports people facing trauma, grief, relationship difficulties, addiction, parenting challenges, self-harm and suicidal thoughts, depression and anxiety. She brings an engaging, collaborative style to each session and aims to help clients gain insight into their struggles while identifying practical steps to move forward.

Working in an integrative way, she draws on a range of therapeutic techniques to design a personalised plan that fits each person’s needs and goals. Her approach is psycho-educational and conversational - she listens to what is happening, helps clients understand patterns and responses, and teaches skills and strategies that can be used beyond therapy.

Michelle often combines cognitive behavioural work with relationship-focused methods and uses dialectical behaviour strategies where appropriate, tailoring interventions to the individual. Since the Covid period she has delivered therapy remotely, finding that many people prefer the convenience of meeting from their own surroundings and appreciate saving travel time and costs.

She is a member of the BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - and offers supportive, respectful care designed to help people regain direction and resilience when life feels overwhelming.

Therapeutic approaches suited to online counselling

Michelle uses cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to help clients identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviours and to learn practical strategies for managing symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress. CBT focuses on the link between thinking, feeling and acting, and is often used to develop skills for coping with day-to-day challenges.

She also uses dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) techniques, which combine acceptance and change strategies to support emotional regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness. DBT can be particularly helpful for people who experience intense emotions or struggle with self-harm and relationship instability.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Michelle collaborates with clients to discover which methods best align with their needs, goals and preferences, adapting the work over time as progress unfolds.

Delivered online by a licensed professional, her sessions are available by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and life demands. Online therapy can reduce travel time, let people meet from familiar surroundings and make it easier to fit consistent support into daily life.