Michelle Chapman, NCPS

Michelle Chapman (she/her) runs Athena Counselling in the United Kingdom and brings three years of professional experience to her work. She trained across several courses over about ten years, returning to study between jobs, and now focuses on counselling as her main practice. Michelle holds the NCPS credential, which she uses to support her practice and approach.

Her style is down to earth and non-judgemental. She offers a caring space where people can talk through what is making life feel heavy. Michelle often helps with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and critical self-talk. She also offers coaching-style support alongside therapy where helpful.

Michelle has a particular interest in combining mental health work with interests in gaming and geek culture. She has developed a personal approach sometimes described as 'geek therapy' and runs workshops to share ideas with other counsellors. This means sessions can weave in a person’s interests when that feels useful.

Her practice covers a wide range of concerns including trauma and abuse, addictions, grief, eating and intimacy-related issues. She also addresses attachment issues, body image, caregiver stress, social anxiety and women’s issues among other focuses. Sessions aim to help people make sense of their world and find practical ways to move forward.

Michelle works in English and does not accept international clients. To begin, readers should use the site’s Start Therapy button and complete the short questionnaire to be matched and schedule according to therapist availability.

Therapeutic approaches and online care that fit your life

Michelle describes her practice as integrative, drawing on evidence-based therapeutic techniques to meet different needs. One approach she commonly uses focuses on talking through patterns of thought and feeling to reduce anxiety and low mood; this helps people challenge critical self-talk and build clearer ways of coping. Another strand involves practical coaching-style work that sets small, achievable goals and reviews progress week to week to support change in everyday life.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist works collaboratively with each person to decide which techniques suit their needs, goals and preferences. Early sessions are used to try methods and adapt them so the work feels relevant and manageable.

If you are considering online therapy, check the current session options before booking so you know which formats are available. Many people find online contact helps fit therapy into a busy week, reduces travel time and makes it easier to keep appointments around work or family commitments. Talk with the therapist about practical arrangements and what will make sessions most useful for you, such as shorter check-ins, a focus on skills work between sessions or ways to bring personal interests into the conversation.