Marcus Pugh, BACP

Marcus Pugh is a counsellor with 12 years of professional experience in the United Kingdom. He focuses on helping people who are facing stress, anxiety, depression, addictive behaviour, relationship difficulties and trauma. He aims to listen closely and offer a calm, non-judgemental space where people can talk through their thoughts and feelings.

Marcus works from the view that each person knows their life best. Sessions are shaped around what the client wants to understand and change, with the counsellor offering support, questions and occasional suggestions. He uses straightforward language and practical thinking rather than jargon.

In sessions Marcus may draw on cognitive behavioural techniques to look at thinking patterns and behaviours, and on client-centred ways of keeping the conversation focused on the client’s priorities. He also brings mindful exercises and existential ideas when people want to explore meaning, values and choices.

He has helped people with a wide range of concerns including grief, intimacy issues, self-esteem struggles, parenting pressures, sleep and eating problems, and life changes such as divorce or career shifts. He is experienced in supporting those dealing with addiction and with neurodiverse issues such as ADHD.

Marcus works in an empathetic, down-to-earth way and aims to help people find their own answers. If you want a counsellor who listens first and offers practical ways forward, he encourages you to take the next step and start a conversation.

Therapeutic approaches and working online

Client-centred therapy places the person’s experience at the heart of the work and involves listening carefully, reflecting what matters most and following the client’s lead to help them clarify their needs. It works well for people who want a supportive space to make sense of feelings and decisions.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and patterns, and then testing small changes to thinking and behaviour. It is often used for anxiety, low mood and stress when clients want practical steps they can try between sessions.

Existential ideas help people look at values, meaning and life choices when facing transitions or questions about direction. This approach encourages exploration of what matters most to the individual rather than offering quick fixes.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapy process and will be explored together. The therapist will work collaboratively to match techniques to the client’s goals, needs and preferences, and may combine methods as appropriate.

Please confirm the current online session formats before booking, as the biography does not specify which formats are used. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and support follow-ups between meetings. Different formats can suit different needs, for example shorter check-ins by phone or video when time is limited, or longer sessions when more space is needed.