Hayley Matthews, BACP, NCPS

Hayley Matthews is a counsellor who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression and other life challenges. She describes counselling as a space to talk through difficulties and make sense of what is happening. Hayley aims to work with each person’s unique history to support practical change and better wellbeing.

She uses a person-centred way of working that focuses on empathy, honesty and respect. That approach helps people reflect on their life experiences and how those experiences affect current thinking and behaviour. She also draws on techniques from cognitive behavioural therapy and solution-focused approaches when they suit a person's goals.

Hayley has five years of experience working in mental health and the care sector. During that time she has offered both short-term and longer-term counselling to people dealing with issues such as grief, relationship problems, addiction, low confidence and trauma-related symptoms. Her background has included supporting people through life changes and the pressures of work or family.

She describes her style as relational and warm, aiming to build trust so clients can explore uncomfortable feelings. She may suggest creative ways to work, such as metaphor, journalling or creative writing, if that helps someone express what they find hard to say.

Hayley is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP, and is listed with NCPS. She offers online and telephone sessions and keeps her work under regular clinical supervision.

How Hayley uses therapeutic approaches online

Hayley combines person-centred work with practical methods to help people make changes. Person-centred counselling focuses on empathy and respect so clients can talk openly about their feelings and experiences; it suits people who need a trusting relationship to explore painful issues. Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, looks at the link between thoughts, feelings and actions and adds practical ways to change unhelpful patterns; it is often used for anxiety, low mood and behavioural habits.

Finding the right way of working is part of the process. Hayley will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and together they will decide whether a relational, CBT or blended approach fits best. That decision is collaborative and can change as therapy progresses.

Online work can make counselling easier to fit into a busy life by reducing travel and making sessions simpler to schedule around work or family commitments. Telephone sessions can offer a quicker check-in when video is not appropriate, while online sessions can allow visual connection when that helps the therapeutic relationship. Confirm the current session options before booking so you know what formats are available and suitable for your situation.