Paula Appleton

Paula Appleton is a counsellor with 14 years' experience based in the United Kingdom. She blends different therapeutic approaches to suit each person she sees, working in line with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy Ethical Framework. Paula supports people with a wide range of concerns and adapts her style to individual needs.

She uses an integrative approach, drawing on methods such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Attachment-Based Therapy. Sessions focus on what matters most to the client and on practical steps they can try between meetings. Paula aims to make therapy straightforward and clear, keeping language simple and tasks manageable.

Paula has experience with issues including anxiety, depression, addiction, trauma and bereavement. She also offers support around relationship strain, intimacy, parenting challenges and life changes. Additional focus areas listed include autism and Asperger syndrome, ADHD, body image and chronic health concerns.

She works with Deaf and hard of hearing people and is sensitive to their communication needs, using British Sign Language at a qualified level and American Sign Language where appropriate. Paula follows professional standards indicated by her BACP and NCPS credentials.

In sessions she creates time to talk through difficult events and the feelings they bring. The emphasis is on listening, building coping skills and helping people find ways to move forward at a pace that suits them.

How Paula’s approaches translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people get clearer about their values and take small, meaningful steps even when feelings are difficult. It suits people struggling with anxiety, low mood or life changes who want practical ways to live better in line with what matters to them.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on patterns of thinking and behaviour that keep problems going and teaches simple skills to change them. It is often used for anxiety, depression, phobias and sleep difficulties.

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships shape current ways of connecting with others, and it can help when intimacy, abandonment or attachment issues cause distress.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Paula will work collaboratively to decide which methods to try, based on each person’s goals, needs and preferences. Sessions often mix approaches and are adjusted as the work progresses.

Please confirm which session formats are available before booking, since the biography does not list specific delivery methods. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, for example by removing travel time or allowing a shorter check-in during a lunch break. It can also suit those who prefer not to use video, as some formats require less bandwidth or phone-only contact. Registered or accredited professionals and therapists commonly offer online sessions to help keep continuity of care when in-person meetings are difficult.