Cheryl Backham

Cheryl Backham is a counsellor who has practised for six years and holds membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). She offers a steady, listening presence for people facing difficult moments. Cheryl aims to make talking about hard things feel easier and more straightforward. She uses a person-centred style that keeps the client’s perspective at the heart of sessions. That means she follows what matters to the person in front of her, listening without judgement and reflecting back what she hears. Cheryl also uses Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) to work with distress linked to past trauma; EMDR is a structured approach that helps the brain process upsetting memories. Common concerns she supports include trauma and abuse, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship tensions, family pressures, grief, parenting strain, anger, low self-esteem, depression, and coping with life changes. She also has a focus on self-harm and sexual assault and abuse. Cheryl works to create a calm space where people can talk through these issues at their own pace. Sessions are practical and grounded. Cheryl listens, helps name what’s happening, and offers methods to manage symptoms between meetings. She collaborates on goals and adjusts pace as needed. People who prefer straightforward language and a supportive listener tend to do well with her approach. If someone wants a clear, humane way to tackle painful memories or current stresses, she aims to help them find steady steps forward.

Therapeutic approaches and online sessions

EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, is a structured method Cheryl uses to help people process distressing memories. It typically involves recalling upsetting events while attending to guided bilateral stimulation, which can reduce the emotional intensity of those memories and help people feel less overwhelmed by them.

Her person-centred way of working focuses on listening and following what matters to the client. That approach helps clients set goals and shape sessions so practical steps feel relevant to their daily life. Together they will consider whether EMDR or talk-based work best suits the issue at hand.

Finding the right approach is a shared decision. Cheryl will discuss goals, preferences, and what feels comfortable, then adapt the plan as therapy progresses. This collaborative process helps ensure the work matches the client’s needs.

Confirm the available session formats before booking, since the biography does not list specific options. In general, online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life - they can remove travel time, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and make scheduling around work or caring duties simpler. The therapist and client can agree on practical arrangements that suit everyday routines without committing to a particular format until confirmed.