Michelle Chapman

Michelle Chapman, NCPS, runs Athena Counselling in the United Kingdom. She is an integrative counsellor who blends general counselling with interests in gaming and geek culture. Michelle offers a caring, down-to-earth and non-judgemental space to talk about what is going on right now.

She commonly helps people who are struggling with stress, anxiety and depression. Michelle also supports those dealing with low self-esteem, critical self-talk, imposter feelings, anger and issues around intimacy and relationships. She works with concerns such as grief, addictions and life changes in straightforward, practical sessions.

Michelle trained over a period of about ten years, taking time between courses to work in different settings. Her listed credential is NCPS. She says counselling is where her heart is and now focuses her work entirely on helping others make sense of their worlds.

Alongside general counselling, Michelle has developed an interest in applying gaming and geek culture to therapy. She describes this as 'geek therapy' and is working on workshops to help other counsellors use similar ideas. This is an evolving part of her practice rather than a finished programme.

Sessions are described as collaborative and down to earth. Michelle aims to listen first, then help people find practical steps to reduce distress and build clearer ways forward. People who prefer a relaxed, relatable therapist may find this approach helpful.

Approaches that guide online work and next steps

Michelle describes her practice as integrative, which means she draws on a range of evidence-based techniques to suit each person. One common approach she uses is problem-focused work that helps identify specific patterns of thought and behaviour to change small, practical things that reduce stress and anger. This can help with everyday symptoms such as anxiety, low mood and critical self-talk.

She also applies elements of strengths-based coaching, which helps people spot their existing resources and build on them. This approach supports goals like improving self-esteem, working through life changes or finding clearer direction when feeling stuck.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Michelle aims to collaborate with each person, discussing options and adapting techniques to fit their needs, goals and preferences rather than using one fixed method.

Confirm the exact online session formats before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It can also make it simpler to continue work while travelling or rearranging a day around appointments.