Sharmaine O'Keefe , BACP

Sharmaine O'Keefe is a Masters level qualified counsellor who welcomes people taking steps toward positive change. She recognises that reaching out to someone new can feel daunting and focuses on building a sense of safety, trust and being truly heard so clients can explore what matters to them. Having dedicated time and space with a trained therapist is something she believes can be transformative.

She is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), a UK professional body, and practises in an integrative way that draws on different theories to match each person's needs. In her work she commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution-Focused Therapy and mindfulness techniques to address concerns such as stress and anxiety, parenting and family challenges, relationship difficulties, trauma and grief, eating and body image issues, workplace and career problems, and other life transitions.

With four years of experience counselling in private practice, senior school settings and charities, she brings additional perspective from earlier roles as a lawyer, teacher and lecturer. Living and working in several countries has informed her awareness of diverse cultural and social backgrounds. She aims to offer a warm, nonjudgmental space where thoughts and feelings can be shared openly and where clients can work toward goals, restore hope and find greater meaning in everyday life.

Integrative approaches for flexible online support

Sharmaine commonly uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people clarify their values and take meaningful action despite difficult thoughts and feelings. ACT combines acceptance and mindfulness with practical steps toward valued goals and can be helpful for anxiety, low mood and navigating major life changes.

She also draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a structured approach that explores the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and teaches skills to reduce unhelpful patterns. CBT is often used for stress, panic, phobias, depression and eating related concerns. In addition, a client-centered stance underpins her work, offering empathic listening and a collaborative therapeutic relationship so clients can explore concerns at their own pace.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey and she works together with clients to identify which methods fit their needs, goals and preferences. Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions by video, phone, live chat or text-based messaging make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives, reduce travel time and maintain continuity of care when schedules change. These options support accessible, consistent work toward meaningful change with licensed professionals and therapists guiding the process.