Cathleen Brentnall, BACP

Cathleen Brentnall helps people facing relationship strain, anxiety, depression, trauma and parenting concerns. She presents herself as a calm presence who works with clients to clarify goals and find practical ways forward. Her profile notes ten years of professional experience and registration with the BACP, and she accepts international clients in English.

Cathleen uses a blend of talking therapies to meet different needs. She draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and client-centred methods. Sessions focus on what matters to the client and on realistic steps they can take between meetings.

She offers a personable, flexible style and tailors sessions to how each person learns and decides. That may include exploring values, building coping skills, or working through distressing memories. Religious faith and prayer can be included in sessions if the client wishes, as noted in her biography.

Cathleen also lists a wide range of additional concerns she addresses, such as self-esteem, eating and sleeping problems, grief, chronic illness, caregiving stress and ADHD. She aims to adapt the approach to the client’s situation rather than using a one-size-fits-all plan.

Background information supplied indicates a Masters in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counselling and earlier training in the United States, alongside years practising in the UK. The BACP credential is presented as the professional registration she holds.

How Cathleen’s approaches translate to online working

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice what matters to them and to take small, practical steps that match their values. It often suits people dealing with anxiety, low mood and difficult life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns and testing new ways of coping; it is commonly used for anxiety, depression and stress. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) supports processing of traumatic memories by combining focused recall with guided bilateral stimulation; it is used for trauma and highly distressing recollections.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and prior experiences and then agree a plan together. Sometimes approaches are mixed across sessions so that the client can try different ways of working and see what feels most helpful.

If you are considering online therapy, check the session formats before booking because the biography does not list specific options. Many clients appreciate online work for fitting therapy into a busy life, reducing travel time and making it easier to attend regular sessions. Online sessions can also allow shorter check-ins or audio-only meetings when needed, and a collaborative discussion at the start will set expectations for how the sessions will run.