Vanessa Richards

Vanessa Richards is a counsellor who helps people facing anger, stress and anxiety. She also supports those dealing with depression, relationship problems, trauma and abuse, and low self-esteem. Vanessa writes plainly and aims to make the first step feel manageable for a worried parent or anyone seeking change.

She takes a relational approach and focuses on building trust in the room. That means meeting people where they are and working together to set clear goals. Sessions use practical conversation, reflective listening and collaborative problem solving rather than jargon.

Vanessa holds a Master’s in integrative counselling and psychotherapy and is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP. She draws on five years of professional counselling experience alongside earlier healthcare work that gave her direct exposure to serious illness and caring roles.

Her background includes supporting people affected by trauma and abuse and time working with patients on the cancer pathway as a therapeutic radiographer. That experience informs how she talks about fear, loss and practical changes that follow illness.

Therapy may include tools from client-centred work, cognitive behavioural ideas and elements from emotion-focused and motivational approaches. Sessions aim to help people manage strong feelings, improve communication and make steady changes in everyday life.

To begin, readers should use the service Start Therapy button and complete the short matching questionnaire before scheduling a session according to availability.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Vanessa uses client-centred work to create a supportive space where people can talk freely and feel heard. That approach focuses on listening, reflecting feelings and collaborating on what matters most, which can suit issues like anger, relationship strain and low self-worth.

She also draws on cognitive behavioural ideas to spot unhelpful thinking and try small behavioural experiments. CBT-style tools can help with anxiety, stress management and changing routines that maintain strong emotions. A third strand often used is emotion-focused work, which helps people name and process intense feelings that underlie behaviours such as anger.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and what feels most helpful, then tailor sessions together in an ongoing way so methods fit the person rather than the other way around.

The original biography does not list specific online formats, so please confirm available session types before booking. Many people find remote sessions help fit therapy around work, school runs or caregiving duties, allow shorter check-ins and remove the need to travel. Talk with the therapist when you book to choose a rhythm and format that fits your day.