Alex Hayes , BACP

Alex Hayes is a BACP-registered counsellor with three years of clinical experience across counselling centres, addiction treatment services, and private practice in Cape Town, Belgium, and London. He draws on a person centred, client guided framework to support people through recovery and life transitions, offering a steady, non-judgemental presence while also challenging patterns that no longer serve the individual.

Before training as a therapist, he worked in corporate roles in London. Personal experience with addiction prompted a move to Cape Town to retrain and begin working in therapeutic settings, a path that informs his practical and empathetic approach. He aims to help people move out of very dark places and towards meaningful change, combining lived experience with professional training.

Alex holds BACP credentials - registration with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, the professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists in the UK. He integrates evidence-informed methods with a collaborative stance, tailoring care to each person’s needs. He maintains availability on Tuesdays and Thursdays to meet with people seeking support.

Therapeutic approaches and online support

Alex Hayes uses approaches that combine practical skills with an understanding of personal experience. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them while focusing on actions that align with personal values - it can be useful for anxiety, depression, and motivation-related struggles. Client-Centred Therapy emphasises a collaborative, empathic relationship where the person’s own goals guide the pace and direction of work - this approach supports self-esteem, relationship issues, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at early relationship patterns and how they affect current connections and emotional safety, which can help with intimacy, abandonment concerns, and relationship difficulties.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Alex works collaboratively with each person to identify which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting strategies as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place by video call, over the phone, via live chat, or through text-based messaging - making it easier to fit support around work, family, and other commitments. For many people, this range of options increases accessibility and helps maintain continuity of care with licensed professionals and therapists.