Laura West

Laura West is an accredited psychotherapist and counsellor registered with the National Counselling Society (NCPS) in the United Kingdom, with 19 years of clinical experience. She works with stress, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem, depression and coping with major life changes, and lists life purpose among her focus areas. Sessions are offered in English and she does not accept international clients at this time.

Laura began her career as a Registered General Nurse, working for 17 years across NHS hospital settings. She moved into specialist nursing roles, including as a Macmillan Breast Cancer Specialist Practitioner, where supporting patients and their families with emotional and psychological needs led her to train in counselling and psychotherapy. She later completed a diploma in Psychotherapy and Counselling and now practises as an accredited psychotherapist and counsellor.

Her approach integrates several methods. She draws on psychodynamic ideas to consider patterns and early influences. She also uses Client-Centred principles to focus on each person’s concerns, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques to address unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. Solution-Focused methods are used when clients want shorter-term, goal-directed work.

In sessions she aims to help people sort through emotional difficulties and find practical ways to cope. That may mean talking through a recent loss, working on communication problems, or exploring values and purpose after a life change. She has experience with issues linked to abandonment, chronic illness, divorce and isolation.

Her background in nursing shapes a practical, down-to-earth style. People who come for help can expect a blend of reflective conversation and straightforward techniques aimed at supporting clearer decision making and improved day-to-day coping. To begin, clients follow the site’s matching and booking steps.

How therapeutic approaches shape online sessions

The practice uses a mix of Client-Centred and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) approaches in online work. Client-Centred Therapy emphasises the person’s own perspective and priorities, helping them talk through what matters and make decisions that fit their values. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviours to reduce anxiety or low mood.

Psychodynamic ideas are also drawn on to look at repeated patterns and past relationships that influence present choices. That can help when someone feels stuck after a loss or a major life change and wants to understand underlying themes rather than only immediate problems.

Choosing an approach is a collaborative part of therapy. The therapist will work with the client to try methods that suit their goals and preferences, and adjust the mix as the work progresses. Many people find that combining reflective exploration with practical CBT tools helps both understanding and day-to-day coping.

The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when a full session is not needed. It can also make sessions possible across different locations, while the therapist and client agree on the most useful way to meet and communicate.