Vanessa Higgins , BACP

Vanessa Higgins is a counsellor with a decade of professional experience supporting people through difficult life events and persistent emotional difficulties. Her work covers a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, and self-esteem challenges, and she also addresses related issues such as attachment and abandonment, caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, and feelings of isolation.

She practises using an integrative approach, drawing on evidence-based methods such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Person-Centred Therapy, and Psychodynamic Theory. This flexibility allows her to tailor interventions to each person's needs, combining practical strategies with opportunities to explore deeper patterns that affect thoughts, feelings, and relationships. Vanessa holds the BACP credential, which stands for the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Known for an empathetic and steady manner, she aims to help clients feel heard, emotionally supported, and more able to manage life’s challenges. She works at a pace that suits each individual and focuses on practical steps as well as longer-term personal growth. Most sessions are offered on Mondays throughout the day into the early evening, and on Fridays, with occasional additional slots at other times that may vary week to week.

Therapeutic approaches and online support

Vanessa commonly draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Person-Centred Therapy in her practice. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours and can be useful for anxiety, low mood, and stress by offering practical tools and structured strategies. Person-Centred Therapy emphasises empathy, active listening, and the client’s own capacity for growth, creating space to explore feelings, self-worth, and relationships. Psychodynamic approaches are also used at times to explore how past experiences and unconscious patterns influence current emotions and relationships, which can be helpful for issues rooted in attachment or long-standing patterns.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process and is decided collaboratively. Vanessa works with clients to identify which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adapting techniques over time to support progress and personal insight.

Online therapy with Vanessa can be delivered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to access consistent support from licensed professionals without needing to travel, and they allow sessions to fit around work, caregiving responsibilities, and other commitments.