Emma Barty, BACP

Emma Barty is a BACP counsellor with nine years of experience. She draws on a range of approaches to help people address stress, anxiety, grief and depression. Emma also supports people dealing with ADHD, trauma, loss and parenting strain, and she works with issues such as self-esteem, sleep problems and relationship patterns.

Emma describes her work as practical and creative. Sessions can include talking, guided visualisations, mindfulness and movement activities. She also uses art, play and simple body-based practices when these feel helpful to an individual.

Her background includes roles with NHS services, Cruse Bereavement Care and the mental health charity Mind. That experience informs her approach to bereavement, trauma and long-term emotional difficulties.

At the start she focuses on what a person wants from counselling and how to work together. Early conversations cover goals, the ways she works and any practical arrangements for sessions. This helps shape a shared plan that can change as needs evolve.

Emma aims to offer a steady, non-judgemental presence while people work through painful or confusing experiences. She will check in about progress and adapt the mix of talking and creative methods so the work stays relevant and useful.

How these approaches translate to online therapy

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening, acceptance and working at the client's pace. Online conversations can follow the same shape, with the counsellor reflecting back what matters and helping clients name their goals and feelings.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) brings practical skills for managing overwhelming emotions and improving distress tolerance. In an online setting these skills can be taught in short exercises, pacing practice and step-by-step coaching during sessions to help with anxiety, panic and mood swings.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The counsellor will discuss options and test what helps most, adjusting the mix of talking, mindfulness and simple body-based exercises to suit the person's goals and preferences. That collaborative process helps decide whether to focus on skills, trauma work or creative methods.

Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions around busy lives. It can reduce travel time and allow people to join from different locations, which can be useful for those living abroad. Confirm the exact session formats offered with the therapist before booking so you know how appointments will be arranged.