Lorraine McDonnell, BACP

Lorraine McDonnell is a counsellor with four years' experience who helps people when anxious thoughts take over. She uses straightforward, practical work to help clients manage worry, low mood and overthinking. Lorraine presents as calm and down-to-earth and aims to make sessions feel comfortable and manageable for people under strain.

She draws on Client-Centred Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, adapting conversations to each person's needs. Sessions focus on clear steps people can try between meetings, alongside space to talk through feelings. Lorraine also uses psychodynamic ideas and solution-focused thinking when they fit the issue at hand.

Her practice covers a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, grief, self-esteem, depression, and coping with life changes. She also supports people dealing with addictions, relationship issues, sleep problems and anger, and works with LGBT concerns and ADHD-related worries. Lorraine mentions additional focus areas such as chronic illness, caregiving stress and end-of-life matters.

Therapy sessions aim to combine understanding with practical tools. Lorraine encourages people to name what is most pressing and to try small, achievable changes. She works with adults from diverse backgrounds and aims to help them find clearer thinking and steadier days.

Sessions are conducted in English and take place in the United Kingdom. Lorraine is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - BACP. To begin, a short matching questionnaire is completed and appointments are scheduled based on the therapist's availability.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Client-Centred Therapy emphasises a respectful, non-judgemental space and focuses on what matters most to the person. In practice this means the counsellor listens deeply and follows the client's lead to help them feel understood and clearer about next steps. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings and actions interact and helps people try different ways of responding. It is often useful for anxiety, low mood and unhelpful worry because it encourages practical exercises and short experiments to test new habits.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with the client about their goals and preferences and choose techniques that fit those aims. This is a collaborative process and can change as progress is made or new issues arise.

The biography does not specify which online session formats are offered, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, reduce travel time and allow quicker check-ins on stressful days. It can also let people use written exercises and short homework tasks between meetings to keep progress moving forward.