Dawn Johnston, BACP

Dawn Johnston, BACP, helps people manage stress, anxiety, relationship strain and low mood. She works with issues such as grief, anger, self-esteem, sleep and eating difficulties. Dawn also supports people facing parenting pressures, caregiver stress, life changes and mood swings. She greets each person with respect and sensitivity and acknowledges that starting therapy takes courage.

With 20 years of experience, Dawn keeps conversations straightforward and practical. She listens first to understand what matters most to each person. Then she and the client agree a simple plan that fits the person’s life and goals.

Dawn uses a blend of talking therapies that suit the individual. She draws on client-centred methods to make space for what the person brings. She also uses cognitive behavioural techniques to notice unhelpful thinking and build new coping habits.

When it’s helpful, Dawn includes mindfulness tools and gentle hypnotherapy to reduce worry and improve sleep. She may also look at underlying patterns over time with psychodynamic ideas to help make sense of repeated difficulties.

Her style is warm and down-to-earth. Sessions aim to be practical and paced to what the person can manage. People who are juggling caring roles often find this approach useful because it focuses on realistic changes and steady progress.

How Dawn’s approaches translate to online work

Dawn uses client-centred therapy to create a listening space where you set the pace and priorities. This approach focuses on your concerns and aims to build understanding and confidence through open, non-directive conversation.

She also makes use of cognitive behavioural therapy, which looks at the link between thoughts, feelings and actions. CBT gives practical exercises and short experiments you can try between sessions to reduce anxiety, manage mood swings and tackle unhelpful habits.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Dawn will work together with you to choose methods that match your needs, goals and comfort level. That may mean blending talking, breathing and reflective tools so they fit your circumstances.

If you prefer online therapy, check the current session options before booking because formats are not specified in the biography. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions around caring duties, work or travel. It can also allow shorter check-ins, quieter surroundings, or options that do not require being on camera, depending on what suits you.