Victoria Porteous

Victoria Porteous, NCPS, draws on more than a decade of experience and her own life story to make therapy feel straightforward and human. She uses a conversational style and aims to create a warm space so people can talk openly about anger, loss, stress and relationship problems. Sessions are designed to feel like a real conversation rather than a rigid assessment.

Victoria says the best progress comes when people connect with the therapist. She blends listening, gentle challenge and humour to help people see different perspectives. That includes practical steps to manage strong emotions and unhelpful habits, as well as exploring deeper patterns from past relationships.

Her background includes running counselling services for a Government-backed trauma charity during the COVID period and offering counselling through referral routes from doctors and agencies. She has worked with complex trauma survivors and brings that experience into her private practice work supporting those facing addiction, grief and family estrangement.

Victoria also runs coaching and workplace wellbeing work and has supported leaders and athletes in high-pressure roles. She is a Menopause Healthcare Professional and relates practical life changes to emotional coping where relevant.

People who see her describe sessions as authentic and tailored. She listens for patterns, asks direct questions and helps clients build clearer choices. To begin, people are asked to complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule sessions according to availability.

Victoria practises using approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, adapting methods to each person’s needs and goals.

How different approaches shape online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people notice difficult thoughts and feelings and choose actions that match their values. It can be useful for anger, anxiety and life changes where people want clearer direction rather than just removing thoughts. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships influence current patterns and helps people develop healthier ways of connecting and regulating emotions. This approach can be helpful for relationship problems and family estrangement. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps people spot unhelpful thinking and try practical experiments to change reactions and behaviours, which often reduces strong emotional responses over time.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences and what feels most useful. Together they will try methods and adjust as needed, aiming for a collaborative plan that fits the individual’s needs.

Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy around work, childcare or travel, reduce commuting, and allow shorter check-ins when days are busy. Some people prefer video for face-to-face conversation while others choose phone for less bandwidth or a quicker session; the therapist can discuss which option best suits each person when arranging appointments.