Michelle Copley, BACP

Michelle Copley, BACP, brings a straightforward, collaborative style to counselling. She aims to make the first steps easier by listening, asking practical questions and helping people feel understood. Michelle works online and focuses on helping people move forward from stresses and relationship problems, anxiety, depression and other common life challenges.

She qualified in 2011 and has twelve years of practice supporting people with trauma and grief, addiction, parenting concerns, self-harm and suicidal thoughts, sleep difficulties and ADHD-related issues. Michelle describes her approach as conversational and psycho-educational, helping people understand what is happening and learn tools they can use outside sessions.

Michelle works integratively, drawing on several therapy approaches to suit each person’s needs. She combines Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Transactional Analysis and also uses Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and other methods where helpful. Sessions aim to create a tailored plan based on what a person says and how they feel.

Practical issues are part of the work. Michelle helps people look at how thoughts, behaviours and relationships interact. She teaches skills, helps reframe unhelpful patterns and supports clearer communication when that is needed.

She moved to online-only sessions after Covid and finds many people value not having to travel. The emphasis is on collaboration, respect and steady progress so people leave with clearer ways to cope and manage day-to-day demands.

How Michelle’s approaches translate to online therapy

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening, empathy and creating a non-judgemental space so people can talk through their concerns and find their own answers. It suits issues where feeling heard and respected matters most, such as grief and low self-esteem.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, breaks problems into thoughts, feelings and behaviours. It uses practical exercises and short homework tasks to change unhelpful patterns, which can help with anxiety, depression, sleep problems and stress.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, DBT, teaches emotion regulation, distress tolerance and mindful awareness. It can be useful for people who need skills to manage intense feelings and reduce impulsive behaviours.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will listen to the person’s goals and preferences and suggest which methods to try. That decision is collaborative and can change as the work progresses.

Michelle’s practice is online; please confirm exact session options before booking. Online sessions can save travel time, make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day and allow shorter check-ins when needed. They can also let people work from a familiar setting and keep appointments that might otherwise be difficult to attend. Registered or accredited professionals can adapt exercises, worksheets and skill-building tasks to suit remote sessions, so the practical work of therapy remains possible online.