Martin Read

Martin Read is a BACP counsellor with four years of professional experience based in the United Kingdom. He helps people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, anger, low self-esteem and depression. He creates a calm, non-judgemental space where individuals can speak openly about what is troubling them.

Martin uses a person-centred way of working. This means he treats the person in front of him as the expert on their life. He listens closely and follows the client’s pace, helping them name feelings and make sense of difficult experiences.

He also brings in ideas from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, inner child work and mindfulness when these fit a person’s needs. These elements are used to tailor sessions, not as rigid steps, but as options to help someone explore values, notice thoughts and build small changes.

Martin aims to make it straightforward to talk about hard things like guilt, shame, dissociation, obsessing or panic. He supports people to clarify what matters to them, and then to take practical steps towards living in line with those values. He invites honest feedback about the working relationship and will help find another counsellor if that becomes necessary.

Contact is usually managed during the week and he checks messages to respond within 24 hours on working days. To begin, people are shown how to complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule sessions through the Start Therapy process.

How Martin uses person-centred and related approaches online

Martin works primarily with Client-Centred Therapy, which focuses on listening carefully, reflecting what a person says and following their lead. This approach helps with emotional expression and making sense of anger, anxiety or low self-esteem by putting the client’s perspective at the centre of sessions.

He also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people notice thoughts and choose actions that match their values, and on mindfulness to develop simple awareness skills. These additions are used when they might help a person manage panic, obsessive thoughts or feelings of guilt and shame.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Martin will discuss options together and adjust the way he works based on the client’s goals and preferences. The client’s experience and feedback shape each session so the plan can change as needs evolve.

Session formats are not specified in the original biography, so please confirm current session options before booking. One practical benefit of online work is flexibility - it can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week. Online contact can also shorten travel time and allow for brief check-ins when that suits a person’s routine. Registered or accredited professionals can offer different setups, and Martin will help find an arrangement that fits the client’s life and aims.