Laura McAuliffe, BACP

Laura McAuliffe is a counsellor and a BACP member with nine years of practice supporting adults. She focuses on practical, person-centred help for day-to-day struggles. Laura aims to create a respectful, calm space where people can talk about what matters to them. Her work covers worry and panic, low mood and low self-esteem, and common relationship and family issues. She also helps with grief, the strain of life changes, and deeper feelings like emptiness, guilt and abandonment. Sessions are grounded in straightforward conversation rather than jargon. Laura says the first session is about getting to know one another and setting priorities. She listens, asks plain questions, and helps people find small steps forward. The approach is collaborative - decisions about pace and focus are made together. She draws on a range of evidence-based therapeutic techniques that fit each person’s needs. That might mean reflecting on patterns, practising coping strategies, or looking at how past attachments affect present feelings. Progress is usually practical and paced to the individual. People describe her style as respectful and sensitive, and she treats every person with compassion. If you are considering counselling, Laura will help you work out reasonable goals and the ways to reach them.

Therapeutic approaches and how they help online

Laura uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques in a straightforward way. One commonly used approach focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and testing it against real-life events. This helps reduce anxiety and low mood by teaching practical ways to challenge negative thoughts and try new behaviours. Another approach looks at patterns in close relationships and early attachments. It helps people understand why they react strongly in certain situations and offers ways to form steadier connections in the present. This can be useful for issues such as abandonment, attachment difficulties, and recurring relationship problems. Finding the right approach is part of the work. Laura will discuss options and plan sessions together, matching techniques to your goals and personal preferences. She aims to keep the process collaborative so you can try different ways of working and adjust what doesn’t fit. Many people find online counselling helps fit therapy into busy lives, for example by reducing travel time and making it easier to schedule sessions around work or family commitments. If you prefer alternatives such as shorter check-ins or sessions without video, check the therapist’s current session options before booking to see what formats are offered.