Hayley Matthews

Hayley Matthews is a therapeutic counsellor who helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anger or life changes. She talks simply and directly with clients about worries like anxiety, low mood, relationship strain, addiction and grief. Hayley aims to make first steps feel manageable and practical. She works online and by phone depending on what suits the person.

Hayley offers a person-centred way of working that focuses on understanding each person's experience. She listens with warmth and honesty, and helps people make sense of how past events shape present reactions. Sessions often look at practical steps to cope better and to build on personal strengths.

She also draws on cognitive behavioural ideas to help spot unhelpful thinking patterns and mindfulness tools to calm intense feelings. Attachment-based ideas are used to look at how relationships influence behaviour and emotional responses. Hayley may invite creative tasks such as journalling, metaphor work or structured exercises when these feel helpful.

Her background includes several years in the care sector and five years of counselling experience in mental health services. She is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP, and holds NCPS credentials as listed. All work is supervised and insured.

Hayley aims to make sessions practical and collaborative. People new to counselling can expect a straightforward first step that focuses on what matters to them now, then on planning small realistic changes for the future.

How Hayley uses therapeutic approaches online

Hayley draws on client-centred work to build a trusting relationship online, giving people space to talk about what matters and to feel heard. This approach helps when someone is dealing with low mood, grief, or relationship distress by focusing on the persons own goals and experience.

She also uses cognitive behavioural therapy ideas to identify unhelpful thoughts and try small practical experiments. These techniques are useful for anxiety, stress, anger and for changing routine behaviours that maintain problems.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Hayley works collaboratively to agree on what to try first and reviews progress together. She will tailor methods and pace to the clients needs and preferences rather than imposing a single way of working.

Session formats are not listed in the biography, so please confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day and can allow shorter check-ins when time is limited. It can also reduce travel time and let conversations happen from a familiar setting, while still focusing on practical steps and emotional processing.