- Years in practice
- 5
- Registration
- BACP
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Relationship issues
- Focus
- Trauma and abuse
About Vanessa
Vanessa Richards is a counsellor based in the United Kingdom. She offers supportive, practical help for parents feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, low mood, or major life changes. She also helps people dealing with trauma, grief, addiction, relationship strain and issues around self-esteem.
Vanessa uses straightforward talk and steady support to help clients find clearer ways forward. Vanessa describes her work as relational. She aims to build trust quickly and create a calm space where thoughts and feelings can be spoken about honestly.
Background and approach
Sessions focus on what matters most to the client and on small changes that make daily life easier. Her background includes five years of professional experience and a Masters in integrative counselling and psychotherapy, which guides a flexible approach to therapy.
She has also worked with people affected by cancer and with survivors of abuse in different professional roles, which informs her understanding of loss, medical trauma and care-related stress. Vanessa draws on several practical methods in sessions, including client-centred techniques, cognitive behavioural ideas and emotion-focused work. She uses motivational interviewing and elements of dialectical skills when helpful.
These approaches help with coping strategies, emotional regulation and clearer communication. Sessions are offered in English and are available to people in the UK and internationally. Therapy is delivered online through a mix of video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
What Vanessa works with
Everything Vanessa lists, in their own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Vanessa helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Addictions
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Eating disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Eating and food-related issues
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fertility issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counselling
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Visually impaired
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Vanessa lists
- Client-Centred Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
- Systemic Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each counsellor names and does not check training records.
How Vanessa’s approaches work online
Client-centred therapy puts the client’s experience at the heart of each session. The therapist listens closely, reflects what is heard and follows the client’s pace so they feel understood. This approach helps people who need space to make sense of difficult feelings and decide what matters to them.Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) focuses on practical changes to thoughts and actions. In short, it helps identify unhelpful thinking patterns and tests new ways of behaving to reduce anxiety and low mood. This approach is useful for stress, anxiety, eating concerns and many day-to-day difficulties.
Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) offers skills for emotional regulation and tolerating distress. Exercises include grounding, breathing and simple behavioural experiments that aim to reduce impulsive reactions and improve communication.
Finding the right approach is a shared process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals and try methods that match those aims. If something does not feel helpful, adjustments are made together so the work fits the person’s needs and preferences.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging. Video is useful for face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions work well for shorter check-ins or when lower bandwidth is needed. Live chat and messaging suit quick reflections, ongoing coaching or times when writing feels easier. These options make it simpler to fit therapy around work, childcare and busy days while keeping continuity of care with registered or accredited professionals.
Questions people ask about Vanessa
What concerns does Vanessa help with?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, addictions, self-esteem and relationship strain. Parenting challenges and career or life transitions are also within her range.
How would you describe her style of therapy?
Her style is warm and relational. She aims to build trust quickly and work with clients on practical steps they can take between sessions.
What experience does she bring?
Vanessa has five years of professional experience and has worked in roles supporting people affected by cancer and survivors of abuse. She combines that experience with her clinical training.
Which credential and location are listed?
She is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, shown as BACP, and is based in the United Kingdom.
In what languages are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English and she does accept international clients.
What session formats are available?
Therapy is available by video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to suit different routines and preferences.
How are sessions paid for and what do they cost?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling sessions according to therapist availability.
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