Barbara Coates, BACP

Barbara Coates is a psychotherapist practising in the United Kingdom. She holds a Master's degree and has five years of professional experience. Barbara works in a warm, non-judgemental way so people can talk about difficult feelings without feeling rushed.

She creates a calm space for people to say what is on their minds. She listens with empathy and responds with compassion. The work is tailored to each person, drawing on different approaches to suit the issue being faced.

Barbara helps with a wide range of common struggles. These include stress, anxiety and panic, low mood or depression, mood swings and anger. She also supports people dealing with trauma and abuse, grief, relationship problems, low self-esteem, addictions and coping with big life changes.

Practical tools are part of her sessions. She teaches strategies to manage anxiety, build confidence, and improve emotional regulation. She works on problem-solving, developing routines that support wellbeing, and making new behavioural choices where needed.

Her work draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Attachment theory and the person-centred approach. Sessions focus on understanding how thoughts, feelings and behaviours connect, how early relationships shape current patterns, and on finding solutions through supportive dialogue. People are encouraged to notice strengths and use them to move forward.

Barbara follows the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy ethical guidelines. She accepts people from the UK and internationally and aims to adapt her approach to each persons goals and circumstances.

How her approaches shape online therapy

Barbara uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to help people map the links between thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and behaviours. This approach breaks problems into manageable steps and is useful for anxiety, low mood and coping strategies.

She also draws on Attachment-informed work to look at how early relationships influence current patterns. That can help when someone struggles with trust, closeness or recurring relationship issues. The person-centred element means she places the persons experience at the centre and listens without judgement as solutions emerge together.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Barbara will work collaboratively to decide which methods fit a persons needs, goals and preferences. That may mean mixing techniques across sessions and adjusting the focus as progress is made.

If you are considering online sessions, check the current session options before booking since the biography does not list specific formats. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. It can also make it simpler to keep continuity if you move or travel, while still allowing work on emotional regulation, trauma recovery and routine building.