BACP, NCPS
Paula Otley, BACP, NCPS
Therapist in the UK
Paula is a BACP, NCPS therapist in the UK.
- 16+ years of experience
- Focus areas include Stress, Anxiety, Relationship issues
- Approaches include Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy
About Paula
Paula Otley offers calm, steady support for people facing stress, anxiety, grief and other life challenges. She meets each person where they are and works together with them to find practical ways forward. Paula names straightforward goals and helps clients talk through difficult feelings and decisions in simple, honest language.
Paula has 16 years of experience, starting as a bereavement support volunteer. That work shaped her commitment to being present during hard times. She later trained as an integrative counsellor with a focus on person-centred and psychodynamic approaches, and in 2020 she added cognitive behavioural therapy or CBT to her practice.
Her background includes work in GP practices, the NHS, charities, community counselling services, independent practice and employee assistance programmes. That variety means she is used to helping people with different kinds of problems and life situations. She also holds BACP and NCPS credentials as listed.
In sessions Paula relies on a relational style. That means she focuses on the therapeutic connection and what unfolds between client and counsellor. She also uses CBT tools when helpful to change patterns of thinking and behaviour, and psychodynamic ideas to look at long-standing patterns.
Paula supports a broad range of concerns including relationship matters, self-esteem, addiction, trauma, parenting stress, ADHD and coping with major life changes. She works in English and accepts international clients. To begin, clients follow the service sign-up and match process and then arrange sessions according to availability.
Paula has 16 years of experience, starting as a bereavement support volunteer. That work shaped her commitment to being present during hard times. She later trained as an integrative counsellor with a focus on person-centred and psychodynamic approaches, and in 2020 she added cognitive behavioural therapy or CBT to her practice.
Her background includes work in GP practices, the NHS, charities, community counselling services, independent practice and employee assistance programmes. That variety means she is used to helping people with different kinds of problems and life situations. She also holds BACP and NCPS credentials as listed.
In sessions Paula relies on a relational style. That means she focuses on the therapeutic connection and what unfolds between client and counsellor. She also uses CBT tools when helpful to change patterns of thinking and behaviour, and psychodynamic ideas to look at long-standing patterns.
Paula supports a broad range of concerns including relationship matters, self-esteem, addiction, trauma, parenting stress, ADHD and coping with major life changes. She works in English and accepts international clients. To begin, clients follow the service sign-up and match process and then arrange sessions according to availability.
Areas of expertise
Experience
16+ years
Credentials
BACP, NCPS
Languages
English
Focus areas
See all focus areas
Trauma and abuseIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD
Approaches
Also listed for
AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeBlended family issues
See all related areas
Body imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMood disordersObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPhobiasPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaTrichotillomaniaWomen's issuesWorkplace issues
How Paula’s approaches translate into online work
Paula combines a relational, person-centred way of working with targeted cognitive tools. In person-centred work the counsellor listens without judgement and follows what the client brings, which helps people feel heard and understood. Cognitive behavioural therapy or CBT looks at thought patterns and behaviours and uses practical exercises to reduce anxiety or change unhelpful habits.She also draws on psychodynamic ideas to notice repeating life patterns and how past relationships affect current feelings. Together these approaches give space for immediate problems and for understanding longer-term themes. Finding the right combination is part of the work; the therapist will discuss options and decide together with the client based on needs and preferences.
Confirm the exact online session options before booking because the biography does not list specific formats. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, reducing travel time and allowing shorter check-ins when needed. It can also help people manage sessions when quieter surroundings or camera-free contact are preferable. Registered or accredited professionals can adapt exercises, homework and mindfulness practices to suit online appointments.
Frequently asked questions
What issues does Paula help with?
She supports people coping with stress, anxiety, grief, depression and relationship concerns, plus areas like addiction, parenting stress, ADHD and trauma.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is relational and person-centred, aiming to build a trusting working relationship and find approaches that suit the individual.
How much experience does she have?
She has 16 years of experience, beginning in bereavement support and later working across NHS, GP, charity and independent settings.
Which credentials does she hold and where is she based?
She is listed with BACP and NCPS and works from the United Kingdom.
Can I work with her if I live outside the UK?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not specify which formats are offered.
How is payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I start sessions?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.