Shelley Murphy

Shelley Murphy is an ACA counsellor with 16 years of experience who helps people facing stress, anxiety, relationship strain and anger. She works with clients on self-esteem, motivation and confidence. Shelley treats concerns around grief, addiction, trauma and parenting in straightforward, practical ways.

Shelley starts by listening to each person’s story and noticing their strengths. She believes people are the experts in their own lives and helps them build on what already works. Sessions often focus on small, achievable steps that make daily life easier.

Her approach draws on a mix of therapies that suit the person and the issue. Shelley uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people clarify values and take manageable action. She also uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for practical skill-building and Emotionally-Focused and Attachment-based ideas when relationships and closeness are the main concerns.

People come to Shelley for a wide range of concerns, including anger, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, ADHD and intimacy-related issues. She also supports those dealing with family of origin problems, communication difficulties and caregiver stress. Shelley aims for clear goals and simple tools clients can use between sessions.

If someone wants to start, Shelley asks them to describe their priorities and current difficulties. From there she and the person agree the next steps and work out a plan that fits their life and aims.

Therapeutic approaches and how they work online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters to them and take small actions towards those values, even when difficult feelings are present. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on noticing unhelpful thoughts and learning practical skills to change patterns of behaviour and mood. Attachment-Based and Emotionally-Focused approaches pay attention to how relationships shape feelings and help people build safer ways of connecting with others.

Finding the right approach is part of the work and is decided together. Shelley aims to match methods to a person’s needs, goals and preferences rather than using a single technique. Clients and Shelley review what helps and adjust the approach as therapy progresses.

The therapist’s biography did not list specific online formats, so confirm the available session types before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. It also lets people continue therapy when relocation or life changes make in-person sessions difficult. Appropriately qualified therapists, including ACA counsellors, can use these methods effectively in remote sessions when both parties agree it suits their needs.