Charlotte Houghton, BACP

Charlotte Houghton is a compassionate, straightforward counsellor who blends client-centered principles with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to support people through stress, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem and life transitions. She brings clarity and directness to sessions, using precise language and practical metaphors to help people understand the patterns that keep them stuck. Her approach is warm and non-judgemental while remaining focused on helping people make meaningful choices about their lives.

She is trained in client-centered counselling and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and holds accreditation with the BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Charlotte is open and honest in her work, willing to share appropriate lived experience and occasional humour to create a human, relatable space. She often uses visual images or simple metaphors to make difficult internal experiences easier to name and explore.

Charlotte has particular experience supporting people bereaved by suicide or sudden death, where direct yet kind questioning helps bring underlying feelings into the open and move towards acceptance of life as it is now. She also works with parenting concerns, ADHD and neurodivergence, chronic illness such as MS, relationship and family matters, trauma and abuse, and a broad range of emotional difficulties.

She values exploring the links between adult patterns and early life experiences so that, once awareness is built, practical change becomes possible. Charlotte offers flexible working methods, including email exchanges and worksheets for clients who prefer written work outside sessions. She also makes time for evening appointments and weekday daytime sessions to fit around busy lives.

Charlotte views every person as an individual and aims to meet people where they are, empowering them to reach their own decisions rather than telling them what to do. She welcomes adults aged 18 and over from diverse backgrounds and identities, and treats each client with respect, warmth and acceptance.

Therapeutic approaches and online sessions that work together

Charlotte combines Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and client-centered counselling to support people in online settings. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing thoughts and feelings without fighting them, and helps people commit to actions that reflect their values - it can be useful for anxiety, depression and life transitions. Client-centered therapy prioritizes the person’s own experience, offering empathy, acceptance and a non-directive stance so individuals can explore their feelings and find their own solutions; this approach is helpful for building self-esteem, processing grief and improving relationships.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process and Charlotte works collaboratively with each person to identify what fits best. She listens to a client’s goals, preferences and experiences and adapts methods over time so the work remains relevant and practical.

Online therapy offers flexible, accessible ways to engage with therapy through video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to schedule sessions around work, family and daily life, and allow people to receive support from home or another convenient location. Charlotte uses these formats to provide the same thoughtful, professional care she offers in face-to-face work, while accommodating different communication styles and practical needs.