Catherine Hirst, BACP

Catherine Hirst practices from a person-centred foundation informed by the work of Carl Rogers, believing that an empathic, nonjudgemental stance can be deeply healing. She brings an approachable and warm manner to sessions and places the therapeutic relationship at the heart of her work, offering space for clients to explore feelings, life stresses and difficult situations.

She is a member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP), the professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists in the United Kingdom, and she works in line with its ethical framework to protect both client and counsellor. Her training in the Person-Centred approach is complemented by an integrative style that she adapts to each individual’s needs.

Catherine’s personal life experiences of both hardship and celebration inform her commitment to supporting others through challenge and change, and to helping people develop greater resilience. She works with primary and secondary school children as well as adults, addressing a range of concerns including anxiety, low mood, depression and bullying.

Her areas of focus include stress, family and relationship difficulties, self-esteem, career concerns and coping with life changes, with additional attention to blended family issues, communication problems, divorce and separation, infidelity, loneliness, jealousy, prejudice and discrimination, self-harm, workplace issues and young adult matters.

Person-centred and Integrative Support Delivered Online

Catherine primarily draws on the Person-Centred approach, which focuses on empathic listening and unconditional positive regard to help clients explore their feelings and build self-understanding. This approach can be helpful for people dealing with anxiety, low mood, self-esteem and relationship challenges.

She also uses an integrative style, tailoring evidence-based therapeutic techniques to the individual’s needs. An integrative approach allows the therapist to combine ways of working that suit presenting concerns such as family difficulties, workplace stress, coping with life changes and young adult issues.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Catherine works with each person to understand their goals, preferences and practical needs, and together they decide which methods fit best.

Online therapy with Catherine is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging, giving clients flexibility in how and when they connect. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family and school commitments and to access support from home or other convenient locations while working with licensed professionals and therapists.