Gillian Cooper , BACP

Gillian Cooper is a UK-based therapist with nine years of professional experience and holds the BACP credential - membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. She has worked with both adults and young people across a range of settings, including trauma services for women and girls, private care, MIND UK and NHS hospital bereavement services, and in private practice.

Her clinical experience covers stress and anxiety management, relationship difficulties, family conflict, separation from children and challenges related to family court, teenage issues, trauma and abuse, panic, self-esteem concerns, addictions, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, and sexual problems. Bereavement and loss are particular areas of focus, informed by both professional and lived experience.

Gillian has supported neurodivergent adults and young people, individuals in crisis, people presenting with challenging behaviours and those who have experienced various forms of abuse. In education and training roles she has worked as a counselling tutor delivering up to Level 4 qualifications and has supported learners to clarify life purpose and career goals, build confidence, create structure, improve negotiation skills and develop resilience.

Her practice blends counselling and therapeutic work. Shorter term, solution-focused approaches address here-and-now concerns and practical coping strategies, while longer-term psychoanalytical work explores how past experiences influence current patterns. She aims to personalise care, collaborate with clients to set goals, and create a clear road map for therapy while acknowledging and incorporating her Catholic faith and Biblical principles when requested, alongside an inclusive respect for diverse perspectives.

Therapeutic approaches and flexible online access

Gillian draws on Attachment-Based Therapy to explore how early relationships shape current patterns - this approach helps when difficulties with trust, closeness or repeated relationship struggles are present. Client-Centered Therapy underpins her work by prioritising the client’s experience and pacing - it focuses on building self-awareness, self-worth and practical coping in the here-and-now. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to identify and shift unhelpful thought and behaviour patterns, which can be effective for anxiety, low mood, sleep and some habit-related concerns.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the collaborative process. Gillian works with clients to consider their needs, goals and preferences and may combine methods over time so that interventions are suited to each person’s circumstances and pace.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and communication styles. These formats make it possible to maintain continuity of care across life changes, access support from home, and choose the mode that best fits how someone prefers to reflect and engage with a therapist.