- Years in practice
- 7
- Registration
- NCPS
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Addictions
- Focus
- LGBT
About Helen
Helen Downs offers help for parents facing stress, anxiety, addiction, grief, sleep and eating difficulties, relationship strain, and parenting challenges. She also supports people dealing with trauma, low self-esteem, anger, career pressures, ADHD and compassion fatigue. Helen is based in the United Kingdom and uses a mix of talking therapies and hypnotherapy in her work.
Helen has seven years of experience working as a counsellor and hypnotherapist. She holds NCPS, which is listed among her credentials.
Background and approach
Over time she has worked with people from diverse backgrounds and with a range of issues, including neurodivergence and LGBT concerns. Much of her work has included time supporting people connected to the prison system and their families, which shaped her approach to complex mental health and addiction issues.
That experience informs practical ways to manage distress, build routines and address barriers to change. In sessions she combines client-centred listening with practical techniques drawn from cognitive behavioural therapy and dialectical behaviour therapy. She also uses psychodynamic ideas to look at patterns that repeat over time.
Hypnotherapy is an option Helen offers to help with habits, anxiety and relaxation. Helen aims to create a respectful, sensitive and compassionate space. She helps people plan clear, realistic steps and regain direction.
The focus is on what a person wants to change and finding workable ways to make that happen.
What Helen works with
Everything Helen lists, in their own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Helen helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Helen lists
- Client-Centred Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- Hypnotherapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each counsellor names and does not check training records.
Therapeutic approaches and online support
Helen uses client-centred therapy to focus on each person’s priorities. This approach involves listening carefully, reflecting what matters to the client and helping them find their own solutions. It suits people who want a supportive space to talk through parenting pressures, identity issues and life transitions.She also applies cognitive behavioural therapy, which looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions. CBT offers practical strategies to reduce anxiety, manage mood swings, change unhelpful habits and improve sleep or eating patterns. Dialectical behaviour therapy techniques are used when emotional regulation and strong reactions are a concern; DBT supplies step-by-step skills for managing distress and improving communication.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Helen will discuss options and agree a plan based on what the person wants to achieve and what feels most workable. That collaborative process helps tailor sessions to parenting goals, coping with neurodiversity or recovering from addiction.
Online sessions are available by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging. Video lets people use visual cues while phone sessions can fit into a busy day and need less bandwidth. Live chat or text messaging works well for quick check-ins, shorter reflections or when typing feels easier than talking. Overall online therapy offers flexibility so people can fit support around family life and other commitments.
Questions people ask about Helen
What concerns does Helen commonly help with?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, relationship and family issues, grief, sleep and eating difficulties, parenting challenges, ADHD and mood concerns such as depression and bipolar.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Helen uses a warm, client-centred style combined with practical tools. She blends talking therapies with techniques to build skills and coping strategies.
What is her professional background?
She has seven years of experience working as a counsellor and hypnotherapist and has worked within the prison services supporting people and their families.
What credentials and region are listed for this counsellor?
Her profile lists NCPS as a credential and shows the United Kingdom as her location.
Which languages are supported and can she work across borders?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
Helen offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to suit different schedules and needs.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
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