Gail Rickaby

Gail Rickaby is a counsellor who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression and anger. She supports those dealing with relationship strain, trauma and abuse, and difficulties with self-esteem and motivation. Her straightforward aim is to help clients find a way forward when life feels overwhelming.

Gail uses a blend of practical approaches that focus on safe connection and on finding workable solutions. Sessions centre on the person in front of her, with space to talk through what’s causing distress and to set small, achievable goals. She pays attention to how early relationships shape current patterns and to the impact of past trauma on day-to-day coping.

Her background includes eight years working in therapeutic roles and she holds BACP credentials, which are shown as BACP. Gail draws on methods that help people notice patterns, build self-compassion, and make specific changes in thoughts and behaviour. Work can include short problem-solving strategies and longer trauma-focused discussion when needed.

People often come for help with grief, addictions, panic attacks, intimacy issues, and career or life-change stress. Additional topics she addresses include communication and control problems, guilt and shame, prejudice and multicultural concerns. Gail aims to make sessions practical and readable, with clear next steps between meetings.

Starting therapy with Gail is presented as a collaborative step. She encourages pacing the work to match each person’s readiness and suggests focusing on small, steady progress over time.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Attachment-based work pays attention to current relationship patterns and how early bonds affect feelings and reactions today. Online discussions can help people notice their attachment responses and practise new ways of relating. Client-centred therapy puts the person's experience at the heart of sessions, offering steady listening and acceptance so the client can lead the pace and topics. This approach helps when someone needs space to understand emotions and build self-compassion. Solution-focused work looks at small, practical steps and strengths to create change quickly, which suits people wanting concrete goals and short-term progress.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Gail will work with each person to agree which methods best match their needs, goals and preferences. The decision is collaborative and can change as therapy progresses.

Session formats are not specified in the biography, so please confirm available options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins or longer deep sessions depending on need. It can also help when quieter surroundings or less screen time are needed, by choosing arrangements that suit each person's routine and comfort.