Ian Saunders, NCPS

Ian Saunders is a counsellor with 18 years of experience working in the United Kingdom. He runs a independent practice and helps people who are struggling with addictions, relationship problems and the emotional fallout from trauma and abuse. Ian also supports those dealing with anger and low self-esteem.

I specialises in issues linked to substance misuse and process addictions, including alcohol, drugs and behaviours such as gambling or problematic pornography use. He also works with concerns like codependency, commitment and control issues. Infidelity, jealousy, guilt and shame are other areas he commonly addresses.

Ian uses client-centred principles that place the person's own goals at the heart of sessions. He brings motivational interviewing techniques to help people who feel stuck or ambivalent about change. Solution-focused work is used to identify small, practical steps that can make a difference between appointments.

Sessions can take place face to face, over the telephone or online depending on his availability. He asks people to check the current session options before booking to confirm what is offered at that time. Costs vary with location and a subscription model is used that can be cancelled at any time.

Ian works in plain language and aims for straightforward, practical conversations. He encourages people to set clear goals and to try small changes between sessions. To begin, select the continue button on this profile and complete the short matching questionnaire before scheduling.

How these approaches translate to online counselling

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and understanding the person's priorities. The counsellor reflects what someone says and helps them set goals that feel right. Motivational Interviewing is about exploring mixed feelings and building a person's own reasons to change in a gentle way. It can be useful for substance concerns and behaviours a person wants to shift. Solution-Focused Therapy looks for practical steps and tests small changes between sessions to see what helps.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The counsellor will talk with the person about their needs, goals and preferences and will tailor sessions together. This is a collaborative process where approaches are adjusted as progress and challenges become clearer.

Ian offers sessions face to face, by telephone and online depending on availability, so please check the current options before booking. Online counselling can make it easier to fit appointments into busy lives, reduce travel time and allow a focused check-in when people need a shorter slot. It also lets people join from different locations when that suits their schedule.