David Mayes, BACP

David Mayes is a UK-based talking therapies counsellor with eight years of practical experience supporting people through a wide range of concerns. He works with issues such as depression, stress and anxiety, substance misuse and addictions including pornography, bereavement and loss, relationship and sexuality matters, and trauma and abuse. He is comfortable working with intimacy-related and kink or alternative lifestyle issues, and he brings focused experience around parenting, family difficulties, anger, self-esteem, career concerns, and coping with life changes.

David practices from a humanistic, client-centered perspective, emphasising genuine empathy and a respectful, nonjudgmental stance that helps people feel at ease as they explore difficult subjects. He is a member of the BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - and offers a warm, approachable style that aims to empower clients to make lasting change. He values politeness, individuality, and the courage it takes to begin therapy.

Having worked in a variety of settings including IAPT, the NHS, and a forensic environment such as a prison, David is experienced with both short-term and longer-term work. He also offers sessions online and by phone, and has supported clients both domestically and internationally. He welcomes people from diverse backgrounds, including those who identify as mixed race or who have specific cultural or identity concerns, particularly in relation to Chinese and South East Asian experiences.

David aims to collaborate with each person to identify the goals and approaches that best fit their needs, offering a steady, empathic presence while clients work toward the changes they want in their lives.

Client-Centered and Humanistic Support Online

David uses client-centered therapy as a foundation, which focuses on providing a warm, empathic listening space where the client’s priorities guide the work. This approach helps people explore feelings, values, and relationships at their own pace and is often helpful for issues like anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and self-esteem concerns.

He also draws on a broader humanistic sensibility that emphasizes respect for individuality and the client’s strengths. That perspective supports work with complex matters such as trauma, addiction, grief, and identity-related challenges by helping clients feel understood and empowered rather than judged.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey, and David treats that as a collaborative process. He will work with each person to identify what fits their needs, goals, and preferences, adapting methods over time so the work remains relevant and effective.

Online sessions offer practical flexibility - video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging allow therapy to fit around work, family, or geographic constraints. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care while accessing licensed professionals and therapists who can support progress from wherever the client is located.