Laidley Poulton, ACA

Laidley Poulton is an ACA counsellor who creates a calm, structured space for people to talk through their thoughts and feelings. He checks both immediate problems and the wider patterns that shape how someone responds to stress. He also draws on personal lived experience with mental health, which influences the steady, understanding tone he brings to sessions.

Laidley focuses on helping people slow down and make sense of their experience. He guides practical steps for coping with anxiety, grief, parenting strain, work stress and life changes. Sessions aim to build everyday skills that make it easier to manage emotions and take next steps.

His approach blends Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, client-centred listening, and mindfulness practices. That mix is used to help people notice unhelpful habits, clarify values, and try small changes. The work is collaborative - he and the client set goals and test what helps.

People who may find his style helpful include those dealing with compassion fatigue, relationship difficulties such as communication or infidelity, attachment and abandonment concerns, and issues around self-esteem or anger. He also supports those navigating cancer, caregiving stress, or the isolation that can come from life transitions.

Sessions are framed around clear, manageable steps rather than long explanations. The aim is to leave people with tools they can use between appointments and a clearer sense of purpose as they move forward.

How his approaches translate to online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and focus on actions that match their values. It is often used for anxiety, depression and life changes by building small, practical steps. Client-Centred Therapy centres on listening and understanding; the therapist supports the person to find their own answers through empathetic, non-judgemental dialogue. Mindfulness Therapy encourages simple awareness practices to reduce reactivity and increase calm, which can help with stress, grief and compassion fatigue.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Laidley treats this as a collaboration - he will talk through what matters to the client, set shared goals, and adjust techniques to fit the person’s needs and preferences. The first few sessions are often about finding what feels useful and manageable.

The therapist’s biography does not specify session formats, so please confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life by removing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins when schedules are tight, or offering sessions when being on camera isn’t wanted. These practical benefits can help people keep continuity of care and try therapeutic tools in day-to-day situations.