Deborah Ritchie, BACP

Deborah Ritchie is a BACP counsellor based in the United Kingdom. She offers a calm, straightforward style that focuses on what matters most to each person. Deborah aims to make the first step into therapy feel manageable and respectful of where someone is right now.

She uses a range of approaches, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness, tailoring them to the issue at hand. That might mean building new coping steps for anxiety, finding ways to manage low mood, or practising simple mindfulness exercises to aid sleep.

Deborah has four years of professional experience and has worked in a college setting for people aged 16 and over. In that role she covered topics such as family relationships, sex and gender identity, self harm and trauma. She also has regular experience supporting neurodiverse clients.

In sessions she aims to listen without judgement and help people identify small, practical changes. Conversations can focus on solving a current problem or looking deeper into patterns that keep reappearing. Sessions can be short term to tackle a single issue or longer term for broader change.

She works with a broad range of concerns including stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, grief, addiction, low self-esteem, parenting strain, sleep problems and ADHD. Deborah seeks to help clients find clearer direction and more manageable ways of coping with life changes.

How Deborah's approaches translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy encourages clear values and small action steps. It helps when anxiety, low mood or life changes get in the way of everyday goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at thoughts and behaviours and offers practical exercises that can reduce worry and lift mood. Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention practices to help with stress, sleep and emotional regulation.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss your needs and preferences and help decide which methods to try. That decision is collaborative and can change as progress is made or as goals shift.

Please confirm the specific session formats available before booking, as they are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, for example by saving travel time, allowing shorter check-ins during a lunch break, or letting you choose sessions that do not require being on camera. Registered or accredited professionals can adapt exercises, worksheets and mindfulness practices to work well in remote sessions so therapy can be practical and work around everyday routines.