Melissa Hepburn, BACP

Melissa Hepburn is a counsellor who helps people facing stress, anxiety, grief and sexual or gender-related concerns. She is BACP registered, and she draws on an integrative approach to suit individual needs. Her style is calm and non-judgemental, aimed at making therapy easier to start when things feel overwhelming.

Melissa began her work in a bereavement service, supporting people after loss and helping them make sense of sudden change. That background shaped how she talks about grief and trauma in straightforward terms. She also has experience with post-traumatic stress and panic, and works with people affected by sexual assault and abuse.

She supports those coping with gender dysphoria and LGBT-related issues, and she helps people who struggle with body image, shame or isolation. She also works with people facing chronic pain, long-term illness, addiction concerns and obsessive-compulsive patterns.

Melissa works with couples to address relationship difficulties and will meet partners together or separately to find a constructive way forward. Her sessions emphasise empathy and an open-minded approach rather than one fixed method.

With four years of practice, Melissa blends different therapeutic techniques to match what each person needs. She aims to make sessions practical and down-to-earth, helping people build coping strategies and small changes that fit their lives.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online counselling

Melissa uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques and blends them to suit each person. One common approach involves talking through thoughts and behaviours to spot patterns and try small, practical changes that reduce anxiety and panic. This helps people gain tools they can use between sessions. Another approach focuses on processing trauma and grief through paced conversations and grounding techniques to manage strong reactions and flashbacks.

Choosing the right method is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to identify goals, try different techniques, and agree what feels most helpful. That means the approach can change as needs and outcomes become clearer.

Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life by cutting travel time and allowing appointments from different locations. Some people prefer shorter check-ins when juggling work, while others use longer slots for deeper work; confirm the exact session options before booking. The primary practical benefit is flexibility, letting people plan therapy around daily responsibilities and maintain continuity of care when circumstances change.