Alan Cox

Alan Cox is a counsellor with 13 years' experience supporting people through stress, anxiety, relationship strain, grief, anger and addictions. He holds a BA (Hons) in Counselling and is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). He offers calm, non-judgemental listening and practical guidance to help people make sense of difficult feelings.

He began counselling in 2008 in the voluntary sector and opened a private practice in 2012 after completing his BA (Hons). He also holds a Foundation Degree in Counselling and continues to provide supervision in the bereavement voluntary sector. His background includes coaching, training and people development in workplace settings.

Alan draws on a mix of approaches in sessions, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness and psychodynamic ideas. He listens carefully and reflects back what he hears so people can better understand their reactions and choices. Counselling is treated as a collaborative process rather than a set of instructions.

He aims to look beyond the immediate problem to identify what keeps an issue going. That can mean exploring past experiences, daily habits, workplace pressures, or relationship patterns. The focus is practical - finding steps clients can try between sessions to reduce distress and build skills.

People come for help with many concerns such as sleep, self-esteem, coping with life changes, bipolar challenges, trauma, eating and intimacy-related issues. Alan stresses that each person is different and works at a pace that suits the individual.

Therapeutic approaches and how they work online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting pulled into them, then choose values-based actions to move forward. It can be useful for anxiety, anger and coping with life changes. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and testing different behaviours to reduce distress and improve sleep, mood and behaviour. Client-Centred Therapy places emphasis on empathic listening and respect so people can find their own solutions at their own pace.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Alan will talk with clients about their goals, preferences and what has or hasn't helped before. Together they decide which methods to try and adapt them as therapy progresses, keeping the process collaborative rather than prescriptive.

Online therapy can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy life by reducing travel time and offering more flexible scheduling. It can allow for shorter check-ins when days are tight or sessions that suit quieter surroundings, and it can make attending sessions simpler for those travelling or living abroad. Confirm the specific session options available before booking to ensure they match your needs.