Helen Downs

Helen Downs is a counsellor with NCPS who focuses on stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and related concerns. She has seven years of experience and works with people facing issues such as low self-esteem, depression, bipolar mood difficulties, ADHD and LGBT-related matters. Helen also supports people dealing with grief, relationship and intimacy problems, and career or life transitions.

Her style is warm and respectful. She aims to create a calm space where clients can talk through what feels hard and begin to make small, practical changes. Helen describes counselling as a collaborative process where the client’s voice and goals guide each step.

Helen combines several approaches to suit different needs. She uses client-centred work to listen and reflect, cognitive behavioural techniques to pinpoint and test unhelpful thoughts, and hypnotherapy where appropriate to support relaxation and habit change. She also draws on dialectical behaviour therapy skills and psychodynamic thinking when these fit the client’s situation.

Her background includes practice with neurodiverse people and work in prison settings, which has informed her awareness of complex and overlapping problems such as addiction, ADHD and trauma. Helen emphasises practical coping strategies alongside exploring underlying patterns.

Sessions are offered in English and Helen accepts international clients. To begin, people are asked to use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a session according to therapist availability.

Approaches that guide online counselling

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and reflecting. The counsellor follows the person’s lead, helping them name goals and make choices about next steps. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at the link between thoughts, feelings and actions and offers practical exercises to test and change unhelpful patterns. These approaches suit problems like anxiety, low mood and coping with life changes.

Finding the right approach is usually a shared process. Helen will work with the person to decide which methods feel most useful, and she adapts techniques to match individual goals and preferences. This collaborative planning helps ensure sessions stay relevant and manageable.

The biography does not list specific online session formats, so check the available options before booking. Many people find online work helpful because it can fit into busy days, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Online sessions can make it easier to maintain continuity of care while juggling family, work or other commitments.