- Years in practice
- 28
- Registration
- BACP
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Relationship issues
- Focus
- Trauma and abuse
About Michael
Michael James is a counsellor with 28 years of practice who aims to help people feeling overwhelmed by parenting, anxiety, grief or relationship problems. He uses straightforward conversation and practical awareness exercises so clients can notice what keeps them stuck and make gradual changes. He writes plainly with an emphasis on collaboration and respect for each person’s pace and values.
He describes his work as person-centred, which means sessions follow what the client brings.
Background and approach
That approach prioritises listening, understanding and responding to the immediate concerns someone presents. It makes space for practical steps alongside deeper reflection about identity and values. Mindful awareness is a strong feature of his practice.
He invites clients to try short, intentional attention exercises and to notice patterns of thought and behaviour. These simple practices are used alongside talk therapy to help people move beyond repeated unhelpful habits. Michael also pays attention to how past trauma can affect current life.
He draws on present-centred bodily awareness and reflective dialogue to help reframe difficult experiences and reduce their ongoing impact. He explains techniques clearly and helps clients choose what feels manageable. Over nearly three decades he has worked with a wide range of issues including stress, depression, addiction and intimacy concerns.
He offers sessions in English and accepts international clients, and he uses video, phone, live chat and text messaging to make therapy more flexible.
What Michael works with
Everything Michael lists, in their own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Michael helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Depression
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Body image
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Co-morbidity
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Hearing impaired
- Hospice and end-of-life counselling
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Michael lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centred Therapy
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Existential Therapy
- Hypnotherapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each counsellor names and does not check training records.
How his approaches work online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages people to clarify what matters to them and to take small meaningful actions towards those values while learning to accept difficult thoughts and feelings. It can help with anxiety, low mood and parenting stress by focusing on practical choices rather than trying to eliminate uncomfortable experiences. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationship patterns shape current connections and emotional responses; sessions aim to increase safety in relationships and improve communication and trust. Client-Centred Therapy places the client’s own goals and pace at the centre of sessions, with the counsellor responding empathically and following what the client brings to each meeting.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Michael will discuss options and tailor a blend of methods to match each person’s needs, goals and preferences. That means the client and therapist decide together what to try and make adjustments as the work progresses.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text messaging to give more flexibility. Video is useful for fuller conversational work and body awareness exercises, phone calls can be easier when bandwidth is limited, live chat suits short check-ins, and text messaging can fit into busy days. These formats make it simpler to sustain therapy around work, childcare and travel while keeping the focus on steady progress.
Questions people ask about Michael
What kinds of problems does he help with?
He supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and intimacy issues as well as grief, addictions, sleep and eating concerns. Parenting and career worries are also listed among areas he addresses.
How would you describe his therapeutic style?
He works in a person-centred way that follows the client’s needs and priorities. Mindful awareness and reflective conversation are used alongside practical steps to help people change unhelpful patterns.
What experience does he bring to sessions?
He has 28 years of experience working with individuals and couples and draws on long practice with mindfulness and present-centred approaches. That background informs how he frames identity and purpose in therapy.
Where is he based and what credentials does he hold?
He is based in the United Kingdom and is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, listed as BACP.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
What formats are available for therapy sessions?
Sessions can be arranged as video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How are sessions paid for and what do they cost?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire, then schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.
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