Ilaria Calussi, BACP

Ilaria Calussi offers support for people struggling with relationship strain, jealousy, parenting pressures, or the long tail of trauma. They write in a direct, approachable way and make space for practical steps alongside deeper conversations. Sessions aim to help people name difficult feelings and try new ways of connecting with themselves and others.

With 25 years of experience, Ilaria draws on work across schools, charities and the NHS. They have worked with organisations such as Place2Be, Mind, Family Action, social care teams and the National Autism Unit. Alongside clinical roles, they run a independent practice and lecture in psychology and counselling at the Open University.

Their style mixes systemic thinking with attachment ideas and cognitive approaches. That means looking at how relationships shape feelings and then testing different responses in everyday life. Practical exercises and story work sit alongside talking to help people practice new patterns between sessions.

Ilaria also brings specific knowledge around neurodiversity, adoption and foster care, caregiver stress and parenting struggles. They aim to tailor sessions to each person’s situation, using what fits best rather than a one-size-fits-all model.

They are registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, abbreviated as BACP, and can work in English and Italian. International clients are accepted, and the intake process begins by using the site’s matching questionnaire to arrange sessions.

How therapeutic approaches shape online sessions

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early and current relationships influence feelings and behaviour. Online work using attachment ideas can help people notice repeat patterns and practise new responses in their day-to-day relationships. Client-Centred Therapy puts the person’s perspective at the heart of sessions, offering space to be heard and understood while the counsellor follows the client’s pace and priorities. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) breaks down unhelpful thoughts and behaviours into smaller parts and offers clear exercises to test different ways of thinking and acting.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the early work. The counsellor will discuss goals, preferences and what feels most useful, then agree a way of working together. That collaborative decision can change as therapy progresses and new needs emerge.

The main practical benefit of online therapy is fitting sessions into everyday life. It can make it easier to book appointments around work, family or school runs and reduce travel time. Different session styles suit different situations - for example, a shorter check-in can be useful on a busy day, while a longer conversation might be planned when more time is available. The biography does not list specific session formats, so please confirm the available options before booking so you know how sessions will be conducted.