- 25 years experience
- BACP registered
- Practical supportive approach
About Karen
Karen Bannerman is a BACP counsellor with 25 years of experience. She aims to help people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, low mood, grief or difficult life changes. Her style is plain and direct, with a focus on making people feel seen and heard.
In sessions she encourages open conversation about painful thoughts and feelings. She creates a calm space where clients can say what is on their mind and begin to make small, practical changes. Conversations are guided by the person’s needs rather than a fixed agenda.
Her work covers a wide range of concerns including relationship and family issues, coping with illness or caregiving, addiction and eating concerns, and worries about self-esteem or career. She also addresses attachment-related difficulties, abandonment, adoption and foster care matters, and neurodiversity questions such as autism and Asperger syndrome.
Karen draws on several approaches to support people, including attachment-based methods, client-centred listening, cognitive behavioural ideas and psychodynamic thinking. She uses mindfulness exercises when they suit a person’s goals.
When a different form of help would be better, she will suggest other agencies or organisations and explain next steps. Prospective clients are invited to make initial contact so they can discuss needs and decide the best way forward together.
In sessions she encourages open conversation about painful thoughts and feelings. She creates a calm space where clients can say what is on their mind and begin to make small, practical changes. Conversations are guided by the person’s needs rather than a fixed agenda.
Her work covers a wide range of concerns including relationship and family issues, coping with illness or caregiving, addiction and eating concerns, and worries about self-esteem or career. She also addresses attachment-related difficulties, abandonment, adoption and foster care matters, and neurodiversity questions such as autism and Asperger syndrome.
Karen draws on several approaches to support people, including attachment-based methods, client-centred listening, cognitive behavioural ideas and psychodynamic thinking. She uses mindfulness exercises when they suit a person’s goals.
When a different form of help would be better, she will suggest other agencies or organisations and explain next steps. Prospective clients are invited to make initial contact so they can discuss needs and decide the best way forward together.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
AddictionsLGBTFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Mindfulness TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems
Experience
25+ years
Credentials
BACP · United Kingdom
Languages
English
How her approaches translate to online therapy
Attachment-based work focuses on patterns in close relationships and on how early bonds shape current feelings. In practice this means talking about past and present relationships to understand why certain situations still feel upsetting, which can help with grief, intimacy worries and attachment issues.Client-centred counselling places the person’s experience at the centre. The counsellor listens without judgment, reflects what is heard and helps the person find their own solutions. This approach suits people who want a slow, respectful way to make sense of difficult emotions.
Finding the right approach is a joint process. During initial conversations the counsellor will discuss goals, preferences and how different methods might help. Together they will try to settle on ways of working that suit the person’s needs and day-to-day life.
If you plan to access help online, please confirm which session formats are offered before booking as the biography does not list them. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed and remove travel time. Many people find that thoughtful conversations, practical cognitive techniques and guided mindfulness can all be adapted to remote sessions with a counsellor who matches their priorities.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and family concerns, plus issues such as addiction, eating difficulties and coping with illness or caregiving.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her style is client-centred and conversational, focusing on listening and practical steps. She may use cognitive behavioural ideas, attachment-based thinking and mindfulness where helpful.
How much experience does she have?
She has 25 years of professional experience working with a wide range of emotional and life challenges.
What credentials and location apply?
She is BACP registered and practices in the United Kingdom.
Which languages are supported and can international clients join?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking as the biography does not specify formats.
How are fees and payments handled?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.