Mark Bourne, BACP

Mark Bourne offers calm, straightforward counselling for people facing stress, anxiety, depression and life changes. He writes in a warm, approachable way and aims to make sessions feel comfortable and practical from the first contact.

Mark draws on his background as a teacher in special needs schools and on three years' counselling experience to shape his work. He adapts his approach to the problem a person brings, and keeps things simple. Sessions focus on what a person wants to change and on small steps that can make a difference.

Many people come with worries about relationships, grief, anger, or difficulties at work. Mark also supports those dealing with addictions, intimacy questions, parenting concerns such as fatherhood issues, and the emotional impact of chronic illness or disability. He can help when people are unsure about their life purpose or facing midlife transitions.

Mark uses a mix of practical methods, including client-centred listening, cognitive behavioural techniques and mindfulness. He also draws on solution-focused and trauma-focused ideas when these suit the situation. Together with the client he decides which tools to try and keeps checking what is working.

Mark is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP. Sessions are offered in English and he accepts international clients. To begin, people use the website Start Therapy button and complete a short questionnaire before arranging sessions.

How Mark's approaches translate to online work

Client-centred work focuses on listening and responding to what matters most to the person. In online sessions this means the counsellor follows the client's lead, asks open questions and reflects feelings to help make sense of difficult experiences.

Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, is about spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing them with small behavioural experiments. It can help with anxiety, low mood, panic and obsessive thinking by giving practical tasks to try between sessions.

Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention skills to reduce reactivity and support calm. It is useful for stress, rumination and managing strong emotions by practising short exercises and grounding techniques.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the process. The therapist will work collaboratively to decide which methods suit the client's goals and preferences, and will adjust the plan as progress is made.

Confirm the exact session options before booking, as the biography does not list formats. Online work can make therapy fit around busy lives - it can be easier to join from different locations, need less travel time, be scheduled during a work break, or be kept to shorter check-ins. Discuss practical arrangements and timing when arranging sessions to ensure they meet everyday needs.